Pawn
by As if this was my real name
Summary: Formerly 'Traitor to Yourself' "You've overlooked the most important part of a pawn. Their ability to adapt. A rook will always be a rook, but get a pawn to the other side of the board and it could become anything, even a Queen." ShikaxOC, other pairings
1. Traitor

**This is my first Naruto story, and I happen to like Shikamaru a lot. No, Obviously I don't own Naruto, or I wouldn't be writing this story. I would appreciate reviews to let me know how I'm doing, but I know it's a hassle so, ya. Here goes! Hope you enjoy!**

_Traitor_

_She ran blindly through the dark and unfamiliar forest, the sweet rain mixing with the salt tears falling silently down her cheeks, and the setting sun casting strange and distorted shadows everywhere. The wind blew her straight mud brown hair out of her face, fanning it wildly out behind her. It felt wrong; she had not felt wind on her forehead for five years, ever since she had earned her hidden waterfall ninja headband. It had been the most precious thing she owned. It proved that she was someone, someone with purpose and skill, not just some faceless nobody. It had proved she was a proud ninja, and would serve her village in any way. That was a lie. There were very few things that she wouldn't do for her village, and that day, she had found one of them. Attack and ally. The Hidden Waterfall Village was waging war on their ally the Leaf village without any reason, provocation, or warning. Correction- they would have a warning. That was why she had left everything, her family, her home, her friends, and her beloved ninja headband, to give fair warning to the leaf of her village's treason. No, it wasn't her village any more. It was the enemy. _

"_The enemy. They are the enemy. They betrayed me. They betrayed the leaf. They are traitors!" She chanted silently in time to her footfalls, trying to convince herself that it was so. But as the wind whistled past, her guilt crazed mind transformed its sound into another chant "Not them, but you. It is you who betrayed them. YOU are the traitor!" And deep within, she knew it was true._

"Audrey, Audrey are you here? Look, I know you're there, so just come out! Jeez, you're being so annoying!" Summon of the Waterfall village sighed. Audrey was usually on time when they had a mission as important as today's.

"Look, I don't like this mission any more that you do, but it's our job right?" No answer. "Come ON you're going to make me late!" He started banging on the bedroom door of his best friend/teammate with a closed fist. No response.

"Audriana!" Summon took a step back and flattened himself against the wall adjacent to the door which he expected to burst open at any minute. She hated her full name, and any one who dared to use it usually never called her by it again. A broken nose or arm is a good reminder. He waited for the door to slam open and a punch come flying at his face, but nothing happened. The suspense built. Still nothing.

"Oh I get it you're waiting for me to let my guard down first aren't you, AUDRIANA!" It would be just like her to do something tricky like that, but her silence was starting to be unnerving. He should have heard something by now.

"Audrey?" he called cautiously, "OK, I'm coming in alright?" He paused with his hand on the door knob. Still nothing. Tentatively, still expecting a beating, he opened the door a crack. It creaked the way it always did, but there was still no sound from the room obscured by the door. With a deep breath and a grating squeal, Summon pushed the door open all the way.

He couldn't see his friend any where. Confident now, he opened her door all the way and stepped into her bedroom. It was meticulously clean. The bed was neatly made and all the books were lined up like soldiers on their shelves. Even the pencils on her des were organized carefully from longest to shortest beside the sharpener. That was beyond weird, usually the room was a total mess, or organized mess as Audrey liked to call it. But now, all the clothes and random objects that normally littered her floor were in tidy rows on the shelves or folded neatly in her closet.

"Aw man, don't tell me that she left with out me! Darn it I'm so late now. Audrey you're really going to get it. Jonno-sensei's really going to kill me!" He headed to the window grumbling in case he could see her on her way to the meeting spot, but the streets were deserted so early in the morning. "Maybe she got up early to train and has been there for hours!" he suddenly thought. Sighing again, he headed back towards the door before his sensei got **really **mad. Lateness was not acceptable in a ninja. He was nearly at the door when he saw something that proved all of his assumptions wrong and chilled him to the bone.

Her ninja forehead protector lying in the middle of her neatly made bed. Making his way shakily over to it, he picked it up. It was definitely hers, down to its spotless condition to the grey blue cloth of the band to that little dent he had put in it just the day before in a sparring match. Rushing to the window again, he looked out as if expecting her to pop out and tell him it was all a joke. No such luck. "Audrey…" He whispered, "What have you done?" And far away in the forests close to Konoha, Audrey was beginning to ask herself the same thing.

The guards of Konoha's gates had seen many people pass through the huge wooden gates of the Leaf Village. Some were heroes, others villains, some were famous others complete nobodys, but for some reason, this traveler seemed to stand out from all of the others. Maybe it was because neither of them had ever seen her before. Maybe it was because she was without a doubt very attractive. Maybe it was because her blue grey eyes were so full of sadness and unshed tears that it made you want to cry just looking at her. Maybe it was because her cheeks and arms were covered in shallow scratches, some still bleeding or her hair wind blown and tangled. Most likely though, it was because she walked up to them with only the slightest hesitation and said with out emotion "Take me to your Hokage. There is something she needs to know."

Tsunade stood, bent over her desk, one hand clenched into a fist and the other gripping the side so tight her knuckles were turning white and the edge was digging rather painfully into her palm.

"So you came all the way from the waterfall village in one night?" The hokage asked the petite ninja to make sure she had heard correctly.

"Yes" Tsudane's mind was reeling: that was quite a feat. It was a long way from one village to another, and there were several hazardous stretched of road to pass through. It would take an experienced able bodied ninja 2 days at least to make the round trip. This girl… she must not have rested at all! Yet here she was standing, (having refused the offer of a chair) as strong as the trunk of one of Konoha's mighty trees.

"Your village will attack in five days?" The Hokage asked, not really for confirmation but because the idea was so potentially horrible.

"Unless they change their plans, yes, the waterfall village will attack in five days." The petite ninja answered like a sleep walker.

"Her body may be alright from her journey, but her soul obviously wasn't" Tsunade thought.

"My lady," her assistant Chizune broke in "we should send all of our troops out immediately to counter them before they arrive here and put all the civilians at risk!"

"No" Tsunade argued, louder than she had meant to if we go to meet them the element of surprise will be gone. "Girl," she snapped her attention back to the younger ninja "Do they know you've come here?"

"They'll find I'm gone easily enough, but I doubt they'd believe I'd turn traitor." Her mouth twisted around the word and her voice shook slightly. It was obvious she was going to great measures to keep herself from crying. Tsunade felt a surge of pity for the small, broken girl. The choice must have been excruciating to make.

"You did the right thing" The older woman comforted keenly aware of how hollow her words were. The girl only nodded. "Call all the jonin and chunin who aren't on missions to me at once." Tsunade ordered: she had no time for pity now; she would talk to the girl later, "We need to up the security, but discreetly!" Chizune ran off to call for the leaf ninja "And get me a map while you're at it!" she screamed at her apprentices retreating back

"Damn it!" The fifth Hokage cursed and slammed her fist down on her desk, breaking it and sending wood chips flying everywhere. The brunette standing in front of her didn't even flinch. "Sorry about that." Tsunade said more calmly as some of the flying wood pieces hit her informer's face. "And thank you. You've saved many lives…" Tsunade left off her sentence hoping the girl would fill in her name. The girl shuffled about a bit, not meeting the Hokage's eyes. They both knew that by saving the people of the leaf, she had condemned her own people, her family and friends to death instead.

Finally, in a quiet and utterly hopeless voice, so different from the dead and unfeeling tone she had used before she whispered "Audrey, or Audriana, if you like." At that moment, jonin and chunin started rushing into the small office, waiting to hear what their hokage had to say. "Thank you Audrey" Tsunade said, finishing up quickly anxious to tell her people of the warning she'd received. "Chizune, show our young friend to a guest room, and see that she gets a good meal" the hokage dismissed her. Audrey silently followed the medic to the door. As she was about to reach for the delicately carved handle, it opened suddenly and nearly threw her off balance. In the door frame stood a tall bored looking teen, still holding the other side of the door knob and yawning. He was wearing black pants and a fishnet shirt covered by a chunin vest. His longish black brown hair was pulled up into a high pineapple-like ponytail. As she stepped around him, their eyes met.

**There, that wasn't so bad! If you have time, review please!**


	2. Mission

**Yay, within three hours, I got an awesome review, so instead of waiting a week to write the next chapter, I couldn't wait and wrote it today. Thanks susan, I luv ya!**

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_Mission_

_As she stepped around him, their eyes met. And in that split second, the girl let down the veil covering her emotions, to reveal a mass of sadness, terror, pain, and betrayal, which was far too deep for even a genius like Shikamaru to sort through It was as if they were pleading for help, for someone to save her from some unimaginable horror And in that split second, not knowing why, he wanted to be the one to do it._

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As countless ninja flooded into her now cramped office, the fifth hokage began to speak. "We have been informed that in approximately five days time, we will be attacked by the waterfall village." Whispers and exclamations rippled across the room. Ignoring them, the hokage continued. "As you know, the waterfall village has more ninja and mercenaries at their disposal." I have sent word to the sand village asking for additional tropes, but, it will take the message at least a day to get there and reinforcements will need to be organized and make the three day journey. We cannot rely on help coming before they attack. As such, I have decided, that until the sand village ninja arrive, we will fight in a strictly defensive manner." Nods were passed from person to person. "This will give us a small advantage over the waterfall. They do not know that we will be prepared for their onslaught, as such; I do not want our security to be openly tight. Kakashi and Guy will arrange the outer wall defenses, with most of our ninja. Genin will work with Iruka to prepare the mountain chambers for our people to hide in during the battle. Understood?" A resounding "Yes sir" filled the room. "Then be off, and remember discretion!"

As shinobi flash exited the room, Tsunade held one ninja back. "Shikamaru, I have another task for you." Returning to her chair (she had completely destroyed her desk) She briefed him on his mission. "The informer was a young ninja from the hidden waterfall village. She may have valuable information on their attack patterns. I want you to get this information and come up with an attack strategy for when the sand shinobi arrive. However," she continued, cutting off his protest, "This girl's mental state may be rather… deteriorated." She told him, earning a quizzical raise of an eyebrow. "I'm not saying she's crazy, rather, guilty. She's probably wondering if she did the right thing, and trying to find a way to stop any blood shed. She may not tell you anything about the enemy, for fear of that killing her friends. Do whatever you need to extract that information. I'm counting on you Shikamaru!"

"What a drag," Shikamaru began with his classic phrase. "It would be just as easy to make a strategy when I see their forces for real when they attack. Why do I have to baby sit a mentally unstable girl?"

"There's more to it than that." Tsunade was reluctant to say it, but knew it had to be done. "You also need to protect her. Other ninja here may not trust her because she left her own village. Make sure they don't get to her. Also, protect her from herself." She left the statement open to his imagination.

"You mean …Suicide?" Both his eyebrows were raised now.

"Yes. Normally, I would assign this mission to Naruto, but he's off on a mission with Sakura and Shino, so it's up to you. Do you understand?"

"It's a drag, but… Where is she?"

"Third door on the right. Get moving!" Shikamaru sighed. This really was turning out to be a drag!

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Chizune showed her to a nicely furnished guest room in the hokage's mansion and left to get the girl some ramen or something closing the door behind her. Audrey didn't even look at the room. She just stared at the floor until Chizune's footsteps faded away to nothing, then threw herself on the bed, buried her head in the pillows, and proceeded to cry all the tears she had held back in one massive flood. Her delicate fists pounded on the plump pillows and her small feet kicked the soft springy mattress. At this point, she didn't know what she was feeling. Anger? Guilt? Sadness? She was one hell of a mess, she told herself, and for some reason, that was the funniest thing she'd ever thought, and hysteria overtook her as she laughed, cried and attacked the bed all at once.

Slowly, the hysteria and tears faded, and her punches and kicks grew feeble, until she was left hiccupping softly into the pillows, wondering what she was going to do with herself.

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Shikamaru stood outside her door, his approach unnoticed during her emotional fit. The piping hot bowl of ramen was burning his fingers, but he ignored it, as he listened to her hiccups fade, waiting for her to calm down enough to meet him. Once the room was quiet, he carefully opened the door, and entered, balancing the bowl of ramen on one hand as he shut the door behind him, wincing as the heat burnt his palm. Crossing the room, he set the bowl down on a low wooden table and pulled a pair of chopsticks out of his jonin vest pocket, and setting them beside the steaming bowl.

Only then did he look for the girl he was to care for. She lay on her stomach, on the bed, unmoving, breathing evenly. Unsure of what to do, he pulled out the chair from the desk and sat down, waiting for her to wake. Leaning his head back to look at the ceiling he found himself wishing he were outside so he could see the clouds. Sighing, he brought his eyes back down to his charge, and almost jumped. She was starring at him. Not with those eyes full of emotion he had seen when she'd passed him at the door, but with eyes as dead as a corpse. It was unnerving. They stared at each other a while, and Shikamau marveled at how she could move so silently. He hadn't heard the bed creak, or the pillows rustle at all. Creepy!

"Who're you?" She finally broke the silence, speaking in a small, monotone.

"I'm Shikamaru." He responded, "I'll be your guide-person…thing…"he trailed off, unsure as to what to say to such a dead person. Uneasy silence resumed

"I'm Au-"

"I got you-" They both spoke at once. "You first," encouraged Shikamaru, glad to hear her talking in a non dead voice.

"I'm Audrey" she told him quietly and stared at the ground.

"Pleased to meet you, Audrey" Shikamaru forced a smile onto his normally expressionless face. This girl had problems. "I brought you some ramen." He told her what he was originally going to say. "It's the best in town." Audrey looked over to the table where the bowl, still hot was placed. Silently and gracefully, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and slipped off, walking as quiet as ever towards the table.

Shikamaru sighed in relief. He had thought it would be harder to convince her to eat. She reached the table and paused. Then Shikamaru groaned inwardly as she passed the table and continued on to the window. So it would be a challenge after all. Straightening his legs, he stood up and crossed the room in four long strides to stand behind her. He looked out over her head (she only came up to his shoulders) at the scene below them. Ninja were everywhere, going about the jobs they had assigned. Audrey stared at the scene, frowning slightly, with a look f longing in her eyes and her arms folded over her chest.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, and leaning down, Shikamaru whispered in her ear, "I've been instructed to take care of you, and that includes making sure you eat. Now that ramen is delicious, and I don't want to ruin it by force feeding you, but I will if I have to." His tone was slightly joking, but there was iron behind his words. Turning her head to look behind her, she looked at the bowl. It did look good. It smelt good too. Turning, to the table, and lowering herself to her knees, to eat at the old fashioned table, she bowed her head as if praying, then decisively picked up the chopsticks and turned to look back at Shikamaru, who was still at the window, and said , to his surprise with a small smirk, "fine!" Then she dug in. Shikamaru chuckled no one could resist Ichiraku ramen for long.

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**Again, if you have time, please review. I need some suggestions as to what should happen next. Should I include other characters, or should it just be the two of them? Thanks for reading!**


	3. Go'

**Woohoo! Thanks for the help and encouragement fishgirlclw! You made me update right away, so yay for me! I'm trying to gradually make my chapters longer, but it's harder than it sounds. Anyway, this one's going to be longer, if only by a few words than the last one. Here goes Chapter three!**

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_Go_

_Shikamaru watched the girl eat from the window. She had impeccable manners, not slurping the noodles, as Naruto did, or literally stuffing her face as Choji did, But taking small bits at a time, wrapping any long noodles around the chopsticks and blowing carefully to cool them down without spraying broth everywhere. She had good posture too. Her back was perfectly straight, and she brought the food to her mouth, instead of her mouth to her food. He supposed it was because of her hair. It reached halfway down her back, and was loose. Her headband might have once held it back but still, with hair like that, if you bent over to eat, you'd have an entire headful of hair in your meal. Her hair was very nice, he found himself idly thinking. Mud brown, with slightly lighter highlights, it hung perfectly straight down her back. Though it was still a bit tangled from her journey (brushing it was one of the last things on her mind), you could still tell, even from a distance, it must be incredibly soft. What would it feel like to stroke it? Shikamaru wondered. Immediately after, he nearly smacked himself. What was he thinking?_

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After she finished eating, Audrey crossed her chopsticks over the bowl, and sat there, unsure of what to do. Her guard-person, Shikamaru she thought was his name, was watching her from the window. It wasn't an uncomfortable stare, more of a calculating one, and since she had had the chance to sum him up while he was staring at the ceiling, she supposed he should have his chance to. Watching him from the corner of her eye, she reached back to pull all her hair to one side of her neck, and began twisting it softly. It was a nervous habit of hers she just couldn't break.

Nice hair indeed, Shikamaru told himself, as he watched her play with her long tresses. He wondered if she really had any idea how cute she looked sitting there. NO! I did not just think that. Breaking out of his daze for fear of thinking more such thoughts, Shikamaru went and seated himself at the other end of the table and cleared the bowl to the side so he could have a clear view of her. He was supposed to get information from her, he reminded himself, but she didn't seem quite ready for that yet. Best to make her feel comfortable first, he reasoned.

"Soooooooooo…" Audrey was beginning to feel a bit awkward. This guy was so weird. He just came from the window, sat down, and stared at the table. Shikamaru shook his head, realizing how quiet it had become while he was thinking.

"Right." He began, thinking of things they could do to help her settle in. "Well it's 1:30 now, so we basically have all afternoon. If you want I can take you on a tour of the village." He suggested. Audrey's eyes widened.

"I think I'd prefer to stay here for now." She said politely, but he could see the fear and sadness return to her eyes. So we're going to need to take baby steps. Shikamaru inwardly groaned for the second time in a short period of time. What a drag! Audrey, unaware of Shikamaru's distress, was looking around at her surroundings for the first time.

The walls were painted with a grey background and grey-blue sponging on top. The ceiling was made of plaster, as far as she could tell, with a raised leaf symbol in the center, spiraling around the pot light, that provided light for the room. There were two large windows; each with soft grey curtains the same colour as the walls that nearly reached the ground. The first window (the one they had been standing by) was across from the table, so you could see out when you were eating. The second was on the wall behind the bed, so that moonlight could presumably reach you as you slept. The carpet was thick and luxurious, and the same grey as the curtains. All the grey might have been depressing, had the walls not had the burst of blue and the room not been full of sunshine. All in all, it was a very nice room, better than hers at home, and nicely furnished too. She hadn't realized it before, but the bed sported a real duvet and at least six pillows of various shades of blue. The armoire was exquisitely carved with leaf patterns and trees. Beside the bed was a door that Audrey assumed lead to the bathroom. There was also a desk in one corner with a comfortable chair, and a desk lamp. There was something else on it too. Craning her neck to see, Audrey smiled as she realized what it was, and scooted over the desk for a closer look.

It was a 'Go' set, exactly like the one she had at home. She and Summon used to play all the time. They were at similar skill levels, so they had an ongoing tournament which she had been winning. Her good mood faded as she realized she had won for good. She and summon would never get to play again. She had left, and that was that. Sighing with loss, Audrey brought the set back to the table anyways in case this Shikamaru guy played.

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Shikamaru in question had been watching her through her entire examination of the room. He held his breath in anticipation as she strode over to the desk, and let it out in relief as she brought the 'Go' set back with her. 'Go' just happened to be his favorite game, and he killed at it too. Her grayish eyes looked intelligent, and he wondered if she'd be any good at the game.

"You play?" Audrey asked, setting up the board with out waiting to hear his answer. Nodding, Shikamaru took his pieces and set up his side of the board. She went first. Her moves were good. She saw the big picture, and planed ahead. Luckily for Shikamaru, she didn't plan as far ahead as him, or he might have been in trouble. By the time she had made her second move, he had already guessed at her style, slightly conservative, and efficient. By the third move, he had planned twelve steps ahead. By the seventh move, he had her. Now all that needed to be done was spring the trap.

Audrey had realized early on in the game that this guy was good. Usually, she could make some careless moves, and get away with it, but not this guy. He seemed to anticipate everything she did, and it drove her mad. Then she saw it, he had left himself open in one spot. Smiling, and going to make the move, she did a double take. He had positioned himself so perfectly. It seemed that in every scenario possible, she lost. Looking harder, she tried to spot a weakness. She found none. Finally, she looked up to see him smirking.

"I win." He said simply. It seemed he had won many times over. With that game, she could well believe it.

"Pure fluke" Audrey insisted. "Rematch!" How did he do it? It was so…insane! The next game, she deliberated a bit longer before making her moves, but still found herself surrounded after a mere dozen or so moves. The third game, she made a stupid mistake and lost after only five moves. Finally, after six games, she gave up, leaning back and shaking her head in awe. This guy was a genius!

A very cute genius, one side of herself added on. Horrified she looked over at him and wondered what had possessed her to think such a thing. He was yawning, his mouth open wide and his eyes closed. Not the most becoming pose. Oh the irony! Unable to stop herself, Audrey let out a small snort. Immediately, is mouth clamped shut, his eyes flew open, and his eyebrows went up. The whole scene was too hilarious, and the girl broke down in giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. Was this girl really alright? Wondered Shikamaru. One second she was all depressed, the next she was giggling like a fan girl. Troublesome woman he thought, turning his head to look back out the window where a couple of birds were taking flight to fly among the clouds. Oh, to be a cloud! He had no idea, the as he dreamed of being a cloud, a small smile formed on his face and the one side of Audrey thought 'See, told you! Cute genius!' And with his head in the clouds, he failed to see her blush.

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Outside the room, with her ear pressed up against the door, the Chizune smiled. She had been listening in on the two teens since Audrey had lost the first 'Go' match. She had heard the playful conversation that had taken place over the next games, and particularly the giggle fit. Things were working out better, much better that either she or Lady Tsunade had planned. Who would have thought! They had only planned on Shikamaru being a bodyguard, but he seemed to be becoming more as well. Maybe they didn't need to worry about young Audrey so much after all. With a smile still on her face, the Hokage's assistant tip toed away to inform her mistress.

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**Yay, I did it, it was longer! Oh ya, by the way, I've decided to include Kiba in this story too, because I like his dog, Akemaru. Thank's for reading, and as always, reviews and suggestions are appreciated!**


	4. Tears

_**As usual, I got a review, not one but two this time, so thanks fishgirlclw and Sportsgil815 (luv ya) and decided to update right away! That's the way it is with me, I live for glory! Anyways, this will be a quite fluffy chapter I'm thinking so here goes. Hope you enjoy!**_

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_Tears_

"_What do you mean 'she's not there'?" Both Summon and Yuki cringed as their jonin sensei Jonno had another of his yelling fits. Normally they were a source of laughter for the entire team. His face went completely red and this one vein in his forehead would pulse to an insane degree. This time, only lighthearted Yuki laughed. _

"_What does it sound like?" Summon yelled back, still angry from his friend's sudden and unexplained disappearance, "She's not there! I went into her room, and all I found was this!" He spat out in disgust throwing her ninja headband on the ground as proof. Yuki's laughing suddenly stopped. She knelt down to pick up the cherished article, examined it, and then slowly stood, her eyes closed. _

"_This isn't a joke, is it?" She asked to no one in particular. Still clutching the head band._

"_Of course it's not!" Summon replied, angry at her previous skepticism. "You think I'd joke about something like this?'_

"_Well it would be like you." His sensei retorted. "Aren't you the one that faked your own death for April fools day?"_

"_Ya, but this is different!"_

"_Really, How?"_

_Yuki stood silently as the two titans had a verbal clash. Audrey, Audrey, Audrey, Audrey. This can't be happening! "Oh shut up!" She yelled, for once in her life loosing her patience, and before her sensei could rebuke her, she was running off towards her friend's apartment. She arrived, tearing through the deserted kitchen, and kicking the bedroom door open violently, before stopping dead still in the middle of the room, leaving the door, swinging on its hinges from its harsh treatment. When Jonno and Summon arrived, she was still standing there, fighting back the urge to cry._

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Audrey pulled a brush through her already combed hair. She had been combing it for nearly fifteen minutes, not really paying attention, her mind off elsewhere. She had found the bathroom much to her liking, and after having a long, hot shower had proceeded to brush her teeth, and change into the PJs she had been provided with. They consisted of a white and green striped cotton tank top, and solid green sleep shorts. They were very much like the ones she had had at home and quite comfy as well.

Hearing a chair scrape the ground, she realized Shikamaru must still be in the other room, waiting for her. Was he going to spend the night? The thought made her a little uncomfortable. No doubt, she liked him a lot; but still, would he just sit there looking at her? How was anyone supposed to sleep like that? Sighing, she opened the bathroom door, and scurried to her bed, pulling the covers over her so he wouldn't see her in her rather revealing jammies. Shikamaru had seen her though, and his jaw had almost dropped to the floor. The short shorts revealed thin, long, creamy legs, perfectly toned and muscular. The tight tank top accented her thin frame, and tight abs, while showing off her muscular arms. It was all he could do to stop himself from sighing as she covered herself.

"Will you need me, do you think?" Shikamaru asked as he searched for an escape from this girl who was clearly messing with his brain.

"No, thanks, I think I'll be fine." Audrey felt relieved he wouldn't be staying. She knew she would never get to sleep with a hottie like him in the room.

"G'night then" Shikamaru said over his shoulder as he slouched out of the room, denying himself a look at Audrey as he closed the door without looking back.

"Night." Audrey said in a small voice to the door, letting the darkness surround her body and mind completely, but she couldn't help but over hear the conversation going on across the room on the other side of the door.

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As soon as Shikamaru had shut the door, he was blinded by a set of very white teeth. Lee, as always, was way too close.

"What is it Lee?" Shikamaru asked, willing him to go away. Some people just should not dress in green spandex, and no one should get a bowl cut, or whiten their teeth to that degree. "I'm really not in the mood for this."

"Why not?" Asked Lee, speaking way too loud, "Has our fair damsel worn you out already?" In the other room, Audrey stiffened, waiting to hear his reply.

"No, she's O.K., O.K.…"

"Why of course she's O.K." Lee started into one of his chivalrous rambles. "That young flower of youth is more that a simple O.K.! Might you have forgotten that that girl betrayed her own village to bring us fair warning, risking the deaths of her friends and…"

Audrey started shaking as the charges were laid against her one after the other, her eyes wide open, and her mouth forming a silent scream. Back at the waterfall, when ever anyone had blamed her for something, she had laughed it off, but it was different this time. This time, the charges were true. Still trembling, she threw the covers off her, and ignoring the cold and the rain that had just begun to fall, she pushed open the window and ran off into the night.

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Outside, still trying to make Lee shut up, Shikamaru heard a slamming sound from inside Audrey's room, and then the whistle of the elements wildly raging outside. Busting open the door, and Bursting into the room he cursed as he found it empty and the window open, the curtains blowing madly in the night wind. Spinning suddenly, he caught the flabbergasted Lee by the throat, bringing him up to eye level.

"I swear, if something happens to her, I **will** kill you!" He threatened, before speeding out the window after her chakra trail. Running blindly through the wind and rain, her clothes and hair sticking to her body with the wet, Audrey managed to find the stairs that led up to the top of the Hokage cliff. Running up as fast as her legs and lungs could carry her, she headed for the top, not knowing what she would do once she got there. Voices kept screaming in her head. Traitor! Your fault! They'll all die! Your fault! Then the faces of the ones she loved the most came unbidden through the hallways of her memory. Her sister's scowl as she scolded her for the umpteenth time. Her sensei's reluctant nod as he praised her for the first time. Yuki's awed smile as she watched a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. Summon's grin, lighting up his face like lightning, flashing brightly, before disappearing leaving only an impression behind. Her friends and family, who soon might be lost…because of her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the wind, "so, so sorry." Blowing wildly, it seemed to spit back in her face 'too late you fool, too late!' Opening her eyes slowly, she realized she was standing at the very edge of the top of the cliff. A sudden thought struck her. If anyone should die, it should be me. The more the faces flashed by her eyes, the more the guilt set in, the more the idea made sense. Sighing, she decided. So this would be how it would end. Not by a noble defeat, or old age after doing great things, but now. She would die a shameful death, but maybe, just maybe, it would mean something. As her guilt crazed mind whirled, she realized she didn't care if it did or not. She just wanted it to be over. Looking out over the village she had tried to protect, she let out her breath and stepped forward. Goodbye, my friends.

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Closing her eyes, she waited for her stomach to rise, for the pain of the impact with the ground. She felt nothing. Perhaps I'm already dead, she thought, not caring how little that surprised her. Her face felt wet, her entire body felt submerged in water. Am I drowning she wondered. That must be it. I'm drowning. It should have scared her how little she cared, but it didn't. Then she felt tiny droplets of her face. Rain? Is it raining in hell? Opening her eyes slowly, she was surprised to find she was still on the edge of the cliff, standing motionless looking out over the view. Hearing a noise behind her, she turned her head to see what it was, only to find she couldn't. She was frozen in space and time. Was this what death was? To stand still, watching as time passed you by? But no, her body was moving. She tried to stop, but she couldn't. She had lost control of her movements. She slowly turned against her will, and walked away from the cliff.

It was then that she saw him. At first she thought he was a vision, walking through the rain to meet her. Shikamaru! His hands were folded in a jutsu position, his usual high spiky ponytail, now slumping gracefully down his neck with the weight of the rain. As he neared, it dawned on her. Letting her eyes roll down to her feet, she saw that she was right. Shadow possession! So he was a shadow master! Audrey was suddenly aware that her body had ceased to move. He was right in front of her, standing there, looking down on her like a guardian angel. The jutsu faded, but before she could run, she felt his hand clamp firmly around her wrist, drawing her in closer.

Peering down at her lost and frightened face, Shikamaru searched for words to say. "They wouldn't have wanted you to die, no matter what you've done," he said at last, looking out over her head, "That's what friends are. People who stand by you no matter what." He finished, bringing his gaze back down to her face. As she tilted her head to look at him in wonder, he knew he'd found the right words.

Audrey stared up at the man in front of her, the depth of his words touching her heart. His gaze was kind, caring and concerned, with something else, but she could find no trace of deceit in that face. As she let his comforting words settle into her soul, she fell to the ground and broke into tears for what she had done, and almost done. He knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her thin, shaking body, drawing her close to him. She buried her face in his strong shoulder and let loose all the tears she had in her.

Shikamaru held her close, as she cried into his shoulder, murmuring comforting words and occasionally rubbing her back. Laying his head on top of hers, he slipped off his jonin vest and tucked it around her bare shoulders to keep her from catching cold. Listening to the sound of the elements raging around them, he couldn't help but think that he had found a fortress, a safe haven here, with his arms around an angel. It took him a while to realize she had stopped crying, but he didn't let go. Not did she make any moves to break away. In each others arms, they knelt there, on the top of the mountain, letting the rain wash away all their doubts and fears.

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A couple hundred feet below them, Lee held his sore neck as he paced the hallways, wondering where Shikamaru was and what had made him so angry.

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**Yay! Over 2000 words! Fluff galore! Sorry I didn't add anyone else in yet, next chapter. Anyways, how was this one? Hope you liked it. If you have time comment and suggest stuff yada yada yada. Anyways, thanks for reading!**


	5. The Meaning of Friendship

**Hey, it's me! Long time no see. Sorry it took so long. I know it's not my best work, but it was a rushed job. I might change it later. Her is chapter 5. Audrey's power emerges. OOOOOOOO!**

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_**The Meaning of Friendship**_

_To Summon, it was as if everything had gone wrong. First his best friend disappears, and now he could only stand by and watch as the only one near as close as he and Audrey had been lost control. Yuki. To interfere would mean to die. Yuki was born with the power to kill in her eyes. She had been all alone, abandoned in fear when Audrey had found her. The three of them had worked together for five years to control her malicious power. Yuki had changed from the tiny, frail girl who hid her eyes behind her bangs and barely spoke to a bright and happy energy source, always knowing the right words to say. _

_He didn't know her when she was like this. She had already destroyed a small forest of trees, withering them away with her cold betrayed glare. Her sharp boomerang wind scythes had torn up the training ground, and were now whirling dangerously close to his hiding spot. All he could do was wait. The power of her eyes took a tremendous toll on her mind and body. It was only a matter of time before she collapsed. Even now he could see the signs. Her breathing was heavy and forced. Blood dripped from her mouth and ears and her stomach was soaked in dark red from an old wound. _

_Soon now, very soon. There. Yuki's body crumpled and the atmosphere calmed. A few meters away, her blades dropped to the ground, nothing now holding them up. Parting the leaves and branches that were in his way, Summon rushed from behind a rock, leaping over fallen trees and deep gouges in the earth to reach his fallen friend. She was just barely conscious. This time had been very bad indeed. Her lips were cracked and bleeding and she made feeble attempts to clear her lungs of the blood that was rapidly filling them. Even so, she managed to force out some words against Summon's urging that she needed to rest. _

"_I haven't lost it in two years." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Disappointment and self hat began to fill her eyes once more._

"_Yuki," Summon said desperately, "It's okay. You're going to be okay! Please you have to be!" He couldn't even imagine losing Yuki now. Audrey had left a gaping hole in his heart and Yuki had been there. If she left, who would be there then? _

"_We have to get her back Summon. Promise me we'll get her back!" Yuki's eyes began to bulge slightly as her breath was harder and harder to find. The blood began to flow more quickly from her mouth. She was fading._

"_Yuki!"_

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It was morning in Konoha, and the sun's bright rays peeking over the hokage's mountain seemed to warm Audrey's soul. Last night had taught her that she had done what she thought was right. Only time would tell her if her heart and mind had been right, but it was done, and that was that. Yuki and Summon were probably fine. With Yuki there, things couldn't remain sad for long. She had a way of bringing light to darkness. Shikamaru had told her that they would try and avoid bloodshed as much as possible, so her people would be spared. With Yuki and Summon making only a two man team, they probably wouldn't even be near the front lines anyway. 'Alright' she admitted to herself. She was still uncertain, but the least she could do was put on a smile for Shikamaru. She thought she should be nice to him after he saved her life, though a smile didn't seem to be on the same level as his kindness. Oh well. She'd have to think of something.

Opening the wardrobe, she chose a short black, pleated skirt and just to be safe a pair of black spandex for underneath. She intended to train today, so instead of choosing a tight shirt like she normally wore on her days off, she picked out a red long sleeved tee with grey patterning and the word 'Fearless" emblazoned on it. She didn't normally like to wear red, but the shirt seemed to sum up her current mood. "Fearless". When she pulled it over her head, she found it lose and comfortable across the shoulders, but tighter at the elbow to the wrist. It was a longer shirt which covered most of her skirt and just let the last few inches of pleats show at the bottom. Altogether, it looked pretty good. Better than her clothes at home in fact.

As she turned slowly in front of the mirror, she noticed the little cuts and bruises covering her legs. Maybe a short skirt wasn't such a good idea after all. A flash of red and grey in the mirror reminded her of her current mood. "Fearless". Flipping her hair over her shoulder as she turned, she searched the bathroom for elastic to tie it up with. There wasn't one. Pouting her lips and crossing her arms, she stood in the middle of the bathroom floor, searching for a drawer she hadn't already ransacked where a hair tie might be hiding.

Before she was done her inspection, she was interrupted by a knock on the door. Shikamaru? A smile came unbidden to her face, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. Opening the door, she was immediately pushed onto her back, as her legs were swept from under her by a furry mass. Slapping the ground hard to break her fall, a huge weight came down on her chest.

"Geez Kiba" said a familiar drawl, "I told you to control the dog! She can't breath. He's not a puppy that rides on your head anymore." Audrey wasn't even aware that she closed her eyes, but as she opened them, she was greeted by a huge, slobbery wet tongue soaking her entire face. Then, finally the weight was removed and she could breathe again. Leaning back against her hands that now propped her up, she looked up to see Shikamaru leaning against the door frame, and another boy she'd never met. He had wild brown hair and a fur lined hoodie, with snapping eyes and red triangular tattoos on his cheeks. He looked, to be frank, like a complete doofus.

Going down on one knee to help her up, he introduced himself. "Yo, I'm Kiba, the wildest and handsomest ninja in this whole town, and this is my devilish dog Akemaru." Once again, a huge tongue came to lick her face, but Audrey managed to deflect it with her forearm so she could actually see the dog for once.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Audrey cried as her voice went up three octaves and slipped into the baby voice she used for cute things. "Well awnt you just de cwutest dowggie in de wowld! Whos de cutest? Whos de cutest? Isat you? Isat you? Yaw! Awwwwwwwwwwwwnooonoonoonnoonoonoono!" She rubbed his cheeks and his stomach and in a minute flat, Akemaru was slobbering at her feet. Kiba straightened up to stand beside Shikamaru once it was made obvious that Audrey found the dog more interesting than him.

"That's weird. Akemaru doesn't usually warm up to people this easily. I've only seen him get so friendly with someone this fast once, just after I got him. Hmm. She must be a dog person I guess"

"Ya." Agreed Shikamaru, "First time he saw me, he chased me around the playground twice!"

"That was only because you threw your shoe at him!" Kiba retorted, standing up for his dog.

"I did not, I was on the swing and it flew off!"

"Oh. Sure, and it just happened to hit my dog on the nose right?"

"Well I guess so!"

"Oh really?"

"Um excuse me!" All fighting ceased at once as Audrey finally spoke loud enough to be heard. Both guys turned to wards her

"Did he actually ever sit on your head?"

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Audrey's head was full to the point of bursting. She had just been on a tour of the city with both Kiba and Shikamaru, and the two had spent nearly the whole time arguing. She had met several new people who's names she couldn't remember and who's faces had meshed together to create a very unattractive he-she. She had visited the hokage again and eaten at Ichi-something ramen, and seen what felt like everything. Now, finally, they were at the practice grounds. Shikamaru was sleeping it seemed and Kiba was chasing butterflies on Akemaru's back

Retying her ponytail (having borrowed one of Shikamaru's hair ties) she sighed. She really needed to train against an opponent. Glancing over, she ruled Shikamaru out at once. Even if she could convince him to take the effort to move, she wasn't sure about how she felt about him to fight him just yet. Kiba then. He would work. He was a pervert and annoying, but might offer a good challenge. Besides, it would be interesting to fight someone with new talents.

"Hey Kiba! Could you help me for a sec?"

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Through half closed eyes, Shikamaru watched the two square off. This would be interesting. He had no idea what her fighting technique was and he hadn't seen and weapons on her so she must be a jutsu fighter. This would be interesting. Kiba was good. Was she? Her first move answered that question. Shooting forward at unimaginable speed, she faked left and then flipped over his head. A fake out! 'Smart move. Testing his reflex, are we? Not bad' Dodging his blow she retreated back to her former ground and waited to see what he would do next.

"Man Beast Clone!" Suddenly instead of Kiba and Akemaru, there were two twins like beings neither animal nor human. Kiba's classic move. Spinning and accelerating at bullet like velocity, Kiba attacked. Audrey didn't move. He came closer. She stayed still. He was going to hit her! She was gone. Shikamaru leapt to his feet. Where was she? Wait. Was that her? It was. She was standing in midair, above the tree line, fifty feet up in the air. How. Then he saw it. Near invisible threads that created a tight rope of sorts for her to stand on. He had heard of this technique before. Kankuro had told him. It was an offshoot of the puppet master jutsu, but instead of attaching the threads to puppets, they would use the strings themselves as weapons. The jutsu requires a great deal of control and stamina. 'She is strong then' Shikamaru thought as he settled back down leaning against a tree.

From high up in the air, Audrey watched as Kiba and Akemaru shot themselves at her again. It would be so much easier if the couldn't fly. Biting her lip, she made another knot in the long piece of string in her hand that allowed her to control her other chakra strings. Only she could see the line she placed in the two whizzing bullet's paths. As they spun, the line would wrap around them, tying them together. Like that, they would lose their spin and fall to the ground where she could finish it. That was the plan. 'Here goes.'

She only allowed herself a small smile as the two flew into her net. She only laughed a bit at their expressions when she beat them, and she blushed a whole lot more than a bit when Shikamaru complemented her. Ignoring the groaning Kiba and Akemaru's attempts to disentangle himself from her thread (This only resulted in him getting more stuck). She told him about her other fighting tools.

"I have a bow to, but I left it at home. I didn't think I'd need it and it's a hassle to carry." She whished she had brought it now. "Not meaning to brag, but I'm a wicked shot." After watching that shot, Shikamaru could well believe it. He smiled slightly and nodded. Unfortunately, Kiba chose that moment to free himself and stand. All he saw was the two smiling and blushing.

"OOOOOOOO… I can feel the LO-OVE!" He cried, being his normal dorky self. Shikamaru sent him a cold stare as Audrey blushed even harder and seriously wished Kiba was far far away. 'Why did I have to invite him anyway?' Shikamaru groaned to himself as he protested Kiba's accusation but deep down, he wondered if Kiba was right.

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One hundred miles away, in the waterfall village, Summon waited outside Yuki's hospital room. The doctor had said she would be fine after a bit of rest, but he was going to stay to make sure. No way was he losing Yuki now. There was barely anyone around except nurses and doctors and a girl talking to the administrator. She wore a black tank top with a short grey vest overtop. Long black gloves reached up pas her elbows and clung to her lean arms. Low black pants hung loosely onto her hips and allowed a slim sliver of skin to show between her top and her belt, on which hung several daggers and knives. Her pants clung to her slim thighs, but became loser at the knee, only to be collected again where they were folded into her boots. She looked to be one of the mercenaries they had hired to help take down konoha. She certainly moved with all the grace and power needed. But what was she doing in the hospital?

"Yo." Shi was much closer now, and Summon could see the blades hidden inside her vest too. "Quit staring at me. It's creepy." She had a rough voice, and simply radiated a 'don't care' feeling. She was tall, almost as tall as him, and pretty, in a wild way. Black, like most other mercs seemed to be her colour, from her hair to her outfit to her eyes, which seemed to shine with a dark light.

"Sorry" her calculating analyzation didn't stop with his apology. She tilted her head to one side questioningly. Finally, when the silence was almost too awkward to bear, she spoke.

"I'm Tazzin. I have a feeling we're going to be good friends"

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**Once again, sorry for the long update. Schools crazy and... ya. So I'm thinking of eventually getting Kiba and Yuki together and maybe Summon and Tazzin. I'm not sure though. Suggestions would be helpful. Tazzin's going to be a real rascaly, bad girl character, and summon's more noble, so ya, it might be interesting. Anyway, if you can, suggest comment and review, and please keep reading.**


	6. Moving On

**I'm soooooooooo sorry this took so long. I wrote this chapter 7 times, but each time I just didn't like it. So ya, major writer's block, so I hope you like what came out of it, because it took a looooong time! Reviews are appreciated so I know if I should rethink this chapter. Anyways, it's full of fluffy couples so hope you enjoy! See you at the end!**

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_**Moving On**_

_In a small house just off the main street of the waterfall village, a young adult sat at her kitchen table, crying as she looked at a picture of the last living member of her family. Had she been too harsh on her? She had always given her younger sister tough love, because she had believed that was what she had needed._

_ Now, all alone in the night, all the bad feelings she had kept at bay since her parents had died came rushing back. Before it had been okay, because before she had had her sister. Now she was completely alone in the world. _

_ And so, alone in the night, Briony, the older sister of the missing ninja Audrey cried herself to sleep._

* * *

"Let's just get one thing cleared up off the bat. I HATE HOSPITALS! They have that really weird, sickly sweet kind of smell that makes you want to puke. You would think I'd have become immune to the smell given I've spent so much time in hospitals, but it's one of those things I just can't get used to.

Another thing: why are they always so white? I mean normally white should be a happy colour, but white walls, white sheets, white clothes white ceilings can kind of make the whole colour depressing. Me, I've always liked the colour black. I'm not emo or anything, but black always seemed like a powerful colour to me. Also, every other colour goes with black. Just saying.

Anyways back to hospitals. I'm a mercenary so I've been in my fare share of hospitals, and my advice is: stay away from those freaky buildings with the big 'H' sign and go to a clinic instead.

You might wonder why I'm going on such a big long hospital rant. The reason: I'm in one and I'm not to happy about it. You see this one random dude in my merc squad (I don't know his name, never bothered to learn it) was, as he put it, comparing the booze of the waterfall village to those of home. If you haven't guessed, he got drunk. Very drunk. And so in this drunken stupor, he challenged the captain of one of the other squads (who just happens to be the most annoying and conceited bastard in our company but since he's a captain he's obviously very good) to a fight. You can guess how that turned out. Luckily for drunk dude, said captain realized said drunk dude was drunk and did not kill him. Instead, he told him to go sober up. Well, as the saying goes, never trust a drunk.

Drunk dude wasn't that hurt so he decided to buy some **more** beer and take it to his room to get even **more** drunk. Well, on his way up the stairs, he tripped (no duh) over his own feet and crashed through a window, fell three stories and landed on a pile of freshly sharpened kunai. Genius."

Summon was sitting on the very white hospital bench listening to a random mercenary named Tazzin rant on about hospitals, her stupid squad mates and whatever else seemed to come to mind. Surprisingly, he didn't really mind. His new friend's mindless ranting did a lot to calm his nerves. It was a distraction, and that was all that mattered.

His first impression of Tazzin had been mostly correct. She wasn't one to hide emotions on different layers. She was an authentic, absolute 100% rebel, and had an interesting view point on mostly everything.

She defied organized government in all shapes and forms, believing that elections were just the governments way of making the people think they had power so they'd like their new leader more and all elections were rigged.

She believed that assassins were a good thing, saying that they stopped wars before they began, saving countless lives and precious time.

She also believed that hospitals were butcher houses in disguise. Though Summon didn't necessarily agree with her on all points, he had to agree, her arguments made some sense. How did they know if their leaders were lying to them? Assassinations only killed one person, but wars killed many. Her hospital theory was just pure paranoia though, but a bit humorous.

Finishing with her rant about squirrels, Tazzin stretched her arms out in front of her, rolling her neck a few times before rolling her arms back to stretch them out behind her. After thoroughly stretching all her muscles, she crossed her hands behind her head, and leaned back against the wall, eyes closed.

Summon followed suit, leaning back and resting his head against the cold, white washed wall, banging it lightly on the wall a few times before sighing heavily. Silence took over the atmosphere between them. Tazzin's breathing had become slow and regular, and she appeared to be asleep.

Glancing over at her surprisingly delicate features, Summon's thoughts went back to Yuki, unconscious in room 326. Letting out another exasperated sigh, he slumped forward and rested his head in his hands, pushing back the hair that got in his eyes.

"So what happened to your friend?" Tazzin's voice said nonchalantly, though her body gave no suggestion of being awake. Turning his head to the side, Summon stared at her in shock.

"I'm not stupid you know" she spoke again without opening her eyes, "You're sitting on a bench in utter depression, in a hospital. It don't take a genius to put two and two together, though I do say I'm an intellectual badass."

At her last statement Summon chuckled a bit. Tazzin's one eyebrow raised and a smirk graced her lips. Chuckling herself, she opened one eye, waiting for his answer. Summon went on the defensive again, unsure of how to answer her question. Yuki had made both he and Audrey to swear never to tell about her power, and he wasn't about to break that promise to a near stranger.

"She lost control" he came up with, hoping Tazzin would get the hint to back off. She did.

"I see" she said quietly, clicking her tongue. Straightening up and rolling her shoulders, she yawned loudly, not bothering to cover her mouth. Making as if to get up, she announced "Well, it's late, and I have training now, so I should probably be going now." But instead of standing up, she slouched back into the bench again. And closed her eyes

"So are you going then?" Summon asked after a few minutes of immobility on Tazzin's part.

"Nope" she replied, popping the 'p' with her lips.

"But you said-"

"-I said I should be going, not that I had any plans on going anywhere" She cut him off with another smirk. "Let's wait for your girlfriend to wake up."

Summon was once again, surprised at how much she was able to infer. Was she using a jutsu or something? Giving up on figuring it out, he leaned back again saying under his breath "Intellectual badass indeed"

Tazzin only chuckled.

* * *

Audrey surprised herself by thoroughly enjoying her day. After her scrimmage with Kiba, a nice blonde had come by and dragged her off shopping. Shikamaru had mostly sat on benches outside the numerous stores Ino (the blonde) had dragged her to. She had made quite a few purchases as Shikamaru informed her that the Hokage would be covering any and all expenspencise.

Her favorite was a cute little sun dress. Ino had gone on and on about a dance that was going to be held in a few weeks and had basically forced her to get a dress. Audrey liked spending time with Ino. Her utter girliness and carefree attitude pushed the war and every bad thing to the darkest corner of her mind while she enjoyed spending some girl time with a new friend.

The dress was a light turquoise colour with silver beading. It was made of a sheer fabric layered so it wasn't totally see through. It had a plunging beaded neckline that Audrey wasn't too fond of, but looked alright with a camisole. It and a high waist line and all the trims were made of a silky material and decorated with intricate beadwork, while the rest of the dress was simple: a baby doll style with a skirt that reached just above her knees. The spaghetti straps were a bit too cold for the weather so she had also purchased a white three quarter length cardigan and some silver shoes.

It was funny how much one's plans could change. Audrey had never intended on staying long in Konoha. In fact, she had planned on leaving right after the first battle, but things had changed.

Now it seemed just as painful to leave her new friends as it had been leaving her old ones. The Hokage, Shikamaru had told her, was greatly indebted to her and would likely provide her with a place to stay for as long as she wanted.

Still, the thought of staying forever with the village that would kill her own was a bit uncertain. She only wished that the war had never started, that she had come to Konoha on better terms. "But," she told herself out loud as she hugged her purchases, "If wishes were pies, I'd weigh more than I do." It had been one of her sister's favorite sayings, and it hurt a bit to say it, but she couldn't wallow in grief forever. What was done was done. It was best to move on.

Ever since her talk with Shikamaru on the cliff, she had a new outlook. What she had done was the right thing. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best choice available. End of story, let's start a new chapter.

A new chapter. She was looking forward to this chapter of her life, she realized as Shikamaru walked her back to her room. She was looking forward to him being in that chapter. It seemed silly, but she had really come to like her guard and friend. A lot.

He was sweet like a guy in denial. He would do something really nice, but anonymously and then deny doing it. Audrey had caught on. It couldn't be coincidence that someone called in to play her favorite song on the radio just after she told Shikamaru what her favorite song was, while he just happened to be out of the room. Nor did she think it was coincidence that out of the blue, a mind buster puzzle had just appeared in her room after she told him she liked those kinds of things.

He was also smart, though he covered it up by acting lazy. He always seemed to know where she was and be looking out for her. It was a new kind of experience, having someone be so protective of her. Summon had always been the one to laugh first and help later and her sister's second favorite saying had been 'deal with it girl, you'll be stronger in the end'.

Even now, as she walked along side him on the dusty path to the Hokage's tower, he was always either watching her or their surroundings intently. She felt completely safe with him. A shadow master was no pushover.

Climbing up the winding stair case to her room, her evil side decided to do a little experiment. Pretending to trip over one of the stairs, she stumbled. Instantly, she felt his hand go to her waist, and another to her knees, catching her expertly and swooping her up into his arms as if she were a feather.

'Experiment, successful' her evil side said to herself , but gasped quietly as Shikamaru whispered in her ear "Don't want you falling now, do we?"

She could feel a red hot blush cover her cheeks as he smirked and straightened, carrying on up the stairs, without letting her go. He had seen straight through her little charade and man was she embarrassed.

'This is not happening, it's okay, you didn't do anything as totally ridiculous as pretend to trip so he would catch you, it's okay, you're not that stupid!' her sane side told herself

'Admit it, you like it' her evil side teased

"Shut up!"

"Hm?" asked Shikamaru at her sudden outburst

"Heh whoops! Did I say that out loud? Heh heh…" she trailed off, her blush becoming even more prominent as she desperately tried to make herself disappear. She lowered her head and avoided all eye contact with the person holding her gently in his arms.

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't help him self. It was just too cute when she blushed. Her entire face went beet red, and she ducked her head in embarrassment. So, ya, it might have been a bit mean, but he'd make it up to her later. He couldn't help but smirk as he tightened his grip on her slim body. She was light, very light, too light. He frowned, mentally writing himself a note to remind him to make her eat more. She was much too skinny in his opinion.

"Everything O.K.?" a small voice asked. He looked down at Audrey. Her face was still red, but she looked genuinely concerned for him. "Whoops," he teased, "did I frown out loud?"

"Oh shut up" she said even more embarrassed than before and pushed him playfully, forgetting that he was the one thing holding her up. Shikamaru was completely surprised by her little shove and went to step back, lost his balance, and they both went crashing down.

Audrey found her fall cushioned by her black haired friend as she landed on his stomach, forcing all the breath from his lungs in a great 'whoosh'. Laughing, she sat up straight and looked down on him with a regal air.

"And that's what you deserved" she fake lectured him in a snotty British accent before losing her composure and falling victim to a giggle fit. Shikamaru simply shook his head and smiled at her antics, very aware that she was still sitting on his stomach.

Man she looked cute like that, in that dangerously short skirt and with that red shirt that brought out the blue in her eyes like nothing else. Suddenly, he had the urge to ask her something.

"Hey," he said in a more serious tone than he had intended to. Her giggles subsided and her lips parted at his sudden seriousness. Her eyes widened and her head tilted to one side as she got the feeling they were coming to an important conversation. The atmosphere was just begging for them to kiss, or hug, or **something **but Shikamaru, the coward lost his nerve and finished with a lame "we should get you to your room, it's getting late"

He mentally kicked himself for saying anything, what was he going to say anyway? He watched as a wave of disappointment washed over her face, kicking himself harder for hurting her in any way. Her smile quickly returned, softer this time as she said in the cutest voice imaginable "ya, you're right, sorry."

"Its fine" Shikamaru replied as he tried to cover for his blunder. The small girl slowly stood and brushed herself off, smoothing out the pleats of her skirt as the taller teen stood up as well.

There was another silence as they stood close together, facing each other, Audrey's head tilted upwards so she could see Shikamaru's face. At that moment, Pineapple boy wanted nothing more than to tenderly touch her cheek, but she broke the magic, by dropping her head and turning away.

The rest of the two minute walk to Audrey's Blue-grey room was spent in silence, both of them mulling over what had happened and what it meant. Finally arriving at her solid oak door, she fished out her key from her brown leather messenger bag and unlocked the door, letting herself in.

Shikamaru made no move to follow, so she turned, half hiding behind the door to wish him good night. Her brow furrowed as she saw the hallway was empty. Looking down both ways to try and catch a glimpse of his retreating back, she found him nowhere in sight. Sighing, she closed the door behind her, and leaned against it in despair. Had she done something wrong? Were they still friends? Where did he go? Pulling her hair to one side, she began twisting it in anxiety as she paced the room.

Finally giving up on thinking the evening through, she threw herself on her plush bed and fell asleep immediately to a dream of a field of roses and a name she couldn't quite remember.

* * *

On the other side of the door, Shikamaru dropped down from where he was hiding up against the ceiling. Kicking himself for the third time in 5 minutes, he wondered what it was that made him hide. Why did he always act so rashly when he was around Audrey? Why couldn't he keep his head when she laughed? Why did he go giddy when she smiled?

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he stormed to the staircase to go look at the moon.

* * *

**Well that's the result of what? 3 months work. But anyways, now that I'm back in the grove I should be updating more often now. Exams are over too so that's one less thing to distract me. Anyways, please review with comments and suggestions. I'm really sorry this took so long guys, but I'll make it up to you updating soon k? see you in chapter 7, bye for now!**


	7. On This Side

**I am so so so so so sorry this took so long. I really just didn't know what to write. I started like 20 times but it never felt right. I'm still not sure about how this turned out, but you can tell me what you think at the end. This chapter's all about the rain village so ther won't be any fluff. Next chapter I promise I'll go back to Audrey and shika. Well hope you enjoy and love you all for reading!**

_**On This Side**_

_Jonno sat quietly on the bench he would always call his young team to meet him at. It held a comforting familiarity, something that he needed during these troubling times. It was reassuring to know that no matter what happened, the water from the great river would still flow downwards over the cliff, falling, tumbling, swirling as water does till it finally crashed into the troubled water below, sending up waves of mist and refreshment. _

_His team would always rendezvous here. It held a special something for all of them, and even when not on a mission, they could often be found here, simply admiring the proud waterfall that gave their village its name. _

_Today, however, the stocky Jonin sat alone. He could feel his team crumbling around him. Yuki was falling fast. Her outburst at the training field had shown that. She would quickly lose her mind if something wasn't done. He had enough problems on his mind without having to worry about her. _

_Summon was lost. He had always followed Audrey everywhere. Now she was gone, without any hint as to where. Audrey. _

_Audrey had always been the strong one. She had done what she felt was right, no matter what anyone else said about it, but never had she done something so drastic. She had been so proud of being a ninja, so adamant in protecting her village; Jonno still couldn't comprehend her actions. She would have had a better chance of stopping any bloodshed from within. Her leaving had changed nothing, unless… No, Even Audrey wouldn't have been that rash…right?_

Tazzin sat atop the building she hated most in the village (the hospital) as she watched the waterfall's troops move out. Her own squad was among them, no doubt having given up on looking for her. The hospital would be the last place they'd look.

The army bore no standards and no flags. The only sound they made was the muffled pad of booted footfalls and the occasional jingle of a kunai on its holder. There were no smiles among the thousands of ninja, and the mercenaries faces were all covered by the standard black scarf tied around the lower half of their faces.

With their features covered, mercenaries were practically indistinguishable from each other. Only the few paid fighters who bore the rank of 'captain' ever went without them. The scarves were used to protect the merc's identity, so that some mal content wouldn't go and kill their family as an act of revenge. By the time a merc achieved a captain's rank, it was presumed they could fend for themselves.

Tazzin had never worn the scarf, even before she was made a captain. She had no use for it. She had no family, no friends who weren't in her line of work and no care for her own safety. It had always been her one act of defiance, daring someone to try and track her down. Three people had taken her challenge and tried to kill her in her home. There were three more graves in the graveyard.

As a group of three ninja's landed on her look out post, the black haired girl drew back into the shadows and stayed perfectly still. They stood not 2 meters from her, yet they did not sense her. Smirking she thought it would say something about their skills if she were not nearly that good. Disappearing had always been one of her specialties.

Lending a trained ear to their conversation, she gathered whatever information she could.

"So, I heard about how that Audrey girl deserted." One of the three said, while twirling his ridiculous looking catfish moustache in one hand

"Yup. She said she wouldn't betray an ally didn't she?" The only woman there said, obviously very intent on earning the moustache man's interest.

"So she did. Never thought she'd do anything about it though," Mustache man replied, enjoying the spotlight, "it's probably a good thing though. Rather she leave now, than halfway through.

"But her friend, the evil eye girl lost it yesterday" the last man said weekly, crossing himself as he mentioned the girl. "Who knows what could have happened if she hadn't been in an isolated area. I'm telling you, the deserter was the only one who could control that monster. We're in for some trouble now."

Tazzin started to grow distaste for the third man. The way he spoke of the poor girl seemed even to her, someone who knew nothing, unfair. He seemed to her, one of those people she detested who thought way too much of himself and way to little of everyone else.

"You've got a point there my friend," mustache man spoke up again, "and that boy's too weak to do anything. He's a mess now I hear. Just waiting down there in the Hospital for that thing to wake up. He should really learn to think for himself." Tazzin was working herself up to step out of the shadows and give all three of them a piece of her mind when a horn blew from the gates, calling all tropes to depart.

The three ninja's flashed off to their designated areas leaving Tazzin to ponder over their words. Could they have been talking about Summon? His one teammate was in the hospital and he seemed unwilling to talk about her. Could she be the evil eye girl? And ninja squads always had three members. She hadn't seen a third teammate, and if a friend was in the hospital, wouldn't they be there waiting.

Wait. Could the deserter they were speaking of be the girl she had seen a few nights ago? She certainly fit the description: A young ninja leaving in the dead of night. Sounds like a deserter. But the girl she had seen had taken the fire road. That led to…Konoha.

Tazzin froze on her way to the stairs as realization hit her. Konoha was waiting for them. They had lost the element of surprise. Pushing her hair back from her eyes, she rolled her neck and sighed. This was going to be a tougher job than she'd thought.

Continuing down the stairs, she found Summon still sitting at his friend's bedside. The girl looked so innocent and helpless. Could she really be the one that was talked about with such malice?

Opening the door as quietly as she could, she tiptoed in and tapped Summon lightly on the shoulder. He slowly turned to face her with red eyes.

Smiling the best she could she told him softly "they just blew the last horn. We've got to get going."

Nodding and rubbing a hand across his eyes, her new friend squeezed the sleeping girls hand one last time and left without looking back. Tazzin however tarried for a moment, pretending to fix the girl's blankets. Leaning down to ear level, she whispered softly "I know you're awake. Don't move. Your friend went to Konoha to warn them of the invasion. From what I've heard of her, my bet is she's still there. Just thought you should know."

Then, smoothing the smaller girl's hair back gently, she exited the room without saying another word,

Summon stood beside his sensei and tried to block out all the buzz of gossip flying around him like bees.

"Did you hear-"

"-deserted us"

"Unforgivable"

"-evil eye girl lost control"

"Weak!"

Weak. That was him and he knew it. He had always accepted that he was a follower. He had never had any sort of desire to take on the responsibility of other people's lives. What if he made a mistake? He wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of messing up someone's else's life. Audrey on the other had had always charged in head first and brought whoever she could with her. She knew what she needed to do and she knew how to do it. She wasn't afraid of consequences. That's the reason they had become friends even before they were put into Jonno's squad. Audrey was larger that life. Summon was smaller than it. Together, they managed to balance each other out. And Yuki, Yuki was the one that life despised.

Her entire existence had been warped and twisted due to a power she didn't even want. Had the wheel of chance spun differently, she would probably be out there with a happy family, sharing her shy and beautiful smile with the world. Then again, had the wheel spun differently Audrey might still be there beside him, screaming at the world.

A trumpet sounded over the soft chatter of the assembled army. Summon snapped up his head and started to march in time with the others. Once they had cleared the city gates, they would pick up the pace, but for now they were to show the residents of their village their strength and numbers.

All around him, heads were lifted proudly and determined grins took over for weary frowns. Were all these people so happy to die for this village? Did they not care why they were marching off, so proudly, to war? Summon found he could not smile as they did. He looked to his sensei and found him as cherry as the rest.

For a moment, a bubble of rage came up in his stomach. How could Jonno smile at a time like this? With Audrey gone and Yuki half dead, how could he even fake happiness as they marched off to fight a pointless battle? He was just starting to seriously consider hurting his mentor and sensei when their eyes met. In the older man's eyes, he saw reflected all the hurt and worry and shame he knew was visible in his own eyes and more besides. A single tear trickled down the jonin's cheek

_~FLASHBACK~_

_ 6 year old Summon threw a dirt clot angrily at the statue of his village's leader. The stupid old man had sent out a force of ninja including Summon's favorite uncle to attack a small weapons village. The entire squadron had been lost. Without so much as an apology, his uncles belongings had been dumped unceremoniously into his mothers arms. _

_ "I hate you!" the small boy yelled at the larger than life sized statue. He reached for another dirt clot, but picked up a rock instead. Maybe it would do more damage. Bringing his arm back too throw the rock at a particularly weak looking part of the statue, he found it caught by another hand. _

_ Pulling free violently from the newcomer's grasp, he spun to face them, dropping the stone. It was Audrey, a girl from his class at the academy. The two had never spoken, but she seemed nice enough. _

_ "You dropped your smile." She said quietly, bringing all her long hair over one shoulder. Summon didn't say anything. "Your smile," she said again, showing her own soft smile, "you dropped it."_

_ "That's stupid!" summon said, brushing tears from his cheeks. "It's impossible to drop a smile. It's attached to your face, see?" and he smiled the best and biggest smile he could muster despite his tears._

_ "That's better," young Audrey exclaimed as she leaned forward flashing her grin once more. "My parents died too you know, in the raid. It's just my sister and me now, but we're both smiling. Know why?"_

_ Summon shook his head gloomily. She had lost more than he had. "Because my daddy said never to drop your smile. When you're angry, smile. When you're sad, smile. Because as soon as you let the world know you unhappy, it will tear you down and crush you." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and let it tumble down her back as she looked up at the statue. "My daddy was very smart." She whispered her voice breaking with the weight of the words. "He was kind too" tear began to well up as her smile wavered. Turning back to summon, she tried to blink them away but they kept coming._

_ "I'll tell you when you drop your smile and you tell me when I drop mine, okay?" the small girl said with a smile still frozen on her face. Summon just nodded and the two stood together, hand in hand as they cried and smiled in grief._

Summon felt a forced a smile onto his face as his sensei nodded to him. _When you're angry, smile. When you're sad, smile. Because as soon as you let the world know you unhappy, it will tear you down and crush you. _ If Audrey could smile then, he could smile now. So he marched out of the village, his smile covering his face like the scarves of the mercenaries.

Back on the roof of the hospital, Tazzin watched the last of the army disappear over the hill. She would join them soon, but not yet. She was waiting, waiting for a small ninja to crawl out of a hospital window. As the small figure hit the ground, Tazzin sunk back into the shadows she loved and followed soundlessly.

She was only a few feet away as the girl hurried past her towards the east gate. She was close enough to touch as she followed her target past deserted alleyways and shady streets. She was right beside Yuki as she crept out the unguarded gate and ran as quickly as her weakened body could manage towards Konoha. With any luck she would make it there before the army did. Tazzin ran with her for a ways, a soundless addition to the shadows until she was sure the girl was safely away.

Then she turned and let the shadows, the darkness that hid from the sun guide her back to the advancing army.

**After soooooo long it feels great to write again. Once more, I'm really really sory this took so long but you know life happens. If you have the time I'd really appreciate reviews or suggestions cause I don't want to have another writer's block, cause that just sucks. See you next chapter which hopefully won't take too long to get out.**

**BYE!**


	8. The Start of the End

**Once again I'm really sorry for the slow update, but if it makes you feel any better, I haven't updated my other stories in longer than forever! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it! Love you all, Here's chapter 8!**

_Shikaku Nara sat hunched over a shogi board unmoving in the darkness. The candles illuminating the room had burned out long ago. He hadn't noticed. What time was it? How long had he been there? He didn't particularly care. His mind was still reeling. _

_ That feeling. It had come over him suddenly and without warning as he studied the layout of the board before him, racking his brains for any strategy that would get his village out of this mess. It had come over him as he touched an enemy piece lightly. A small tug at his heart from the shadows. Any other person would have missed it. He doubted even Shikamaru had felt it. _

_ His son was a great shadow master, but lacked the long and hard earned years of experience needed to truly read the shadows. To Shikaku, the shadows were both a powerful ally and a fearsome foe. To achieve true power, one needed to give them selves over to the darkness and lose a part of themselves in the process. He had come as far as was possible without doing so and had no intentions of going any further._

_ But that feeling… Someone had done it. Some one had truly become a lord of the shadows. And whoever it was, was coming nearer and nearer with each passing hour. Was it an enemy or ally? Shikaku knew the world too well to hope they were a friend, but he had felt no malice as the shadows brushed his heart. It was almost as if the user had done so unintentionally. Almost as if… but no, that was impossible._

As Shikaku had guessed, the disturbance in the shadows went unnoticed by Shikamaru. Perhaps had he been less preoccupied by his strange and contradicting feelings for his newest friend he might have noticed it. Perhaps he would have missed it just the same, but either way, Shikamaru woke that morning to the first few rays of sunlight poking over the Hokage Mountain, and was struck by how much Audrey would love that sunrise.

He contemplated running over to wake her up and show it too her, but thought better of it when he realized that would mean seeing her in her skimpy PJs, and he definitely didn't need that messing with his head. He had bigger things to be worried about.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow the enemy forces would come streaming in. Tomorrow they would see if their defenses would hold. Tomorrow he might die. The thought was chilling and all too realistic to dwell on. Yawning loudly and stretching his arms out in front of him, he tried to put his mind to other things.

Audrey. He had grown closer to her yesterday. Too close maybe. It wasn't normal for him to befriend people so quickly. But she was special. Her hair, her laugh her eyes…

He slapped both his cheeks as he realized he had brought his thoughts back to Audrey. Could he think of nothing else that the war and that girl? Swinging his legs over the side of his bed he but his head in his hands and marveled at how much she had changed his world. There he went again. Everything seemed to lead back to her.

"Audrey" and as he said her name aloud, the sun's light exploded over the mountain top.

Audrey's morning began with much more of a 'bang'. She was woken by her covers being pulled away from her body and the curtains being drawn back with a decisive 'snap' to let the light in. As she groggily opened her eyes and searched for her warm covers, she was confronted by the sight of Ino, hands on hips standing at the foot of her bed.

For a moment, she looked so much like Yuki; with her blonde hair pulled back from her face that Audrey was sure she was dreaming and proceeded to go back to sleep, cover or no. Had Ino really been Yuki, she probably would have laughed and let her sleep, but Ino was not Yuki, so Audrey soon found herself sitting on the edge of her bed while Ino went through all her clothes to pick out an outfit that would, as the blonde said "send the pineapple to high heaven".

Said outfit ended up consisting of a pair of grey-green short shorts with a black belt with silver studs and a plain sea green quarter length top that hugged her body just the right way. The entire time, the energetic blonde jabbered away at how cute Shikamaru was when he looked at her and how he had never seen him blush so much etc etc etc. It was almost painful how much Ino mirrored Yuki. True Ino had a more devilish side, but the basics were there. The energy. The optimism. The perfect mask of happiness. Had she not known better, she would have thought they were sisters.

The two were in the middle of a heated discussion weather the shorter brunette would look better with her hair up or down when a soft knock came at the door and an contagious laid back attitude entered the room. The idle prattle between the two girls ceased and the room became so silent Audrey swore they could all hear her heart beating a mile a minute.

Shikamaru had already planned out everything in advance. He would be cool, nonchalant and by god he would not let her get to him. He had planned out every instance and every turn events could take and was determined to keep up his lazy care free attitude even when he wanted to smile like a buffoon when she did the things she did. Yes he was ready. For everything but this.

If it was even possible, she looked even more beautiful than she did yesterday, Ino's doing no doubt. Shooting a glare at his old teammate which was met by a smirk and a thumbs up he cleared his throat and wished her good morning. Or meant to anyways. Most likely fortunately for him, Lee burst into the room before he could say anything dumb or cheesy.

"GOOD MORNING MY FLOWER OF YOUTH!" Lee sang/shouted/screeched putting the light bulbs to shame with his dazzling teeth "I AM YOUR MOST HUMBLE ADMIRER AND CONFIDANTE, LEE THE GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL GREEN BEAST!" In the self proclaimed 'great and beautiful green beast's mind, flowers and sunshine surrounded the occupants of the room. In everyone else's question marks and swirls popped up everywhere.

Audrey stood thunder struck, mouth hanging open as she tried to process the obscurity that was Lee all at once. Shikamaru had accidentally on purpose forgotten to introduce the two after Lee's loud mouthing on Audrey's first night. And once again he found himself awed at how completely clueless and annoying the older boy could be.

"Lee," he managed through gritted teeth, "what the heck are you doing here?"

"Ah, my dear friend," Lee replied, totally unaware of the malice directed at him by his so called friend, "I merely wanted to wish this BEAUTIFUL FLOWER OF YOUTH good morning!" at this point Shikamaru's glare became much more pointed and even Lee figured it out ",bye!" and he, very wisely made his escape and didn't stop running till he was on the other side of town.

Shikamaru pushed the Hokage's door open with a heavy heart. He knew what this meeting would be about. She was going to ask him what information he'd gathered and he had nothing to give. It was tearing him up inside. On one hand, the information Audrey possessed could save the lives of his fellow ninja. On the other, he didn't think he could make himself put her through the pain of betraying her country again.

It made no sense. He was a genius. He could always calculate the best option, but now his head wasn't in control of the situation. She was just one person. How could he put hundreds of lives at risk for just her? He had always relied on facts to set up his strategies, and now, as the facts failed him, he had no idea which way to turn.

The meeting went as he foresaw it. Tsunade yelled. He shut out the sound. He was thinking. Tsunade eventually released him. He left without speaking. He was thinking. Shizune almost ran him over in the hall. He sidestepped automatically. He was thinking. He was thinking about Audrey…again. He was thinking about her so hard, that he didn't even notice her walk up to him.

Audrey paused before approaching him. He seemed so distracted, not like his usual 'I'm so bored clouds are more interesting' distracted, but a deep and serious distracted that made her hesitate. But, after a hard push and pointed look from Ion she made her way to him, distracted or not.

She coughed delicately a few times, with no response. Finally, she coughed a huge 'help me I'm choking' cough which snapped him out of his ponderings. The look on his face was not what she had been hoping for. Instead of looking happy, or relieved to see her as he normally did, he looked like she was the last person on earth he wanted to meet.

That scared her more than it should have. His friendship was what had made her keep going when she felt like just curling up and dieing. Without it, she would be back where she started, alone in an enemy village.

They stood there, silently, in the middle of the busy street looking at each other. Yesterday this would have been a happy meeting, but the life of a ninja changes all too quickly. Today, they were both wishing the other had taken a different way to wherever they were going.

In the end, all Shikamaru's thinking came to nothing. The only words he could find were the ones straight from Tsunade's mouth.

"You need to tell us about the enemy's army. Now." The look on her face as her heart was broken broke his own a million times over. Had he been able, he would have taken back those hurtful words and never asked her anything, hang the consequences. But time continued on forwards, not slowing or stopping for anyone.

Her eyes said everything she tried to hold back. 'How can you ask me to potentially kill my friends a second time? Haven't I already done enough?' She was angry, but most of all hurt. This man she had trusted, and very near loved had betrayed her, without even so much as an apology.

Her mouth was more controlled. It hid the hurt behind angry words.

"Even if I told you, how could you trust me?" she spat at him. "I am the enemy after all!" She was about to go on further, when Ino (yes she was spying on the two the whole time) intervened with a lame excuse about girl stuff neither Audrey nor Shikamaru heard.

Ino half pulled, half dragged Audrey back to her room before the brunette collapsed in tears. Ino, immediately began boiling water for tea all the while talking.

"Damn that Pineapple, what did he do now? I should have known he would mess things up without proper guidance! He's such…."

Audrey tried to block the words out. She didn't want to hear anymore. Each time her friend said his name her heart crumbled a part again. Pretty soon it would be too damaged to repair. But you know, it's surprising what a good hot cup of tea can fix, at least temporarily.

As she sipped the tea Ino had prepared, Audrey found her tears subsiding, and her hiccups slowly fading away. Ino sat down on the floor beside her, drinking her own tea quietly.

Audrey allowed herself a wavering smile. She had tagged the blonde as someone who would have grilled her for details right away, but it turned out, she knew the value of silence too.

"Thank you" she whispered, both for the tea and the silence. Ino got the message. She just nodded.

"I'm going to have to start evacuating the citizens to the mountains soon. You can come if you feel up to it"

It wasn't that Audrey necessarily felt up to the task, more that she didn't feel up to being alone, but either way, it was nice to know she had a friend she could really count on.

Then the bells started ringing.

Yuki staggered along the same path Audrey had come along only days before. Audrey had traveled the distance in a night. But Yuki was weakened from her hospital stay and had always been more fragile. Still she struggled on. Perhaps had she been in better health, she would have made it on time, but as she arrived at the gates of Konoha, her fears were confirmed. The army was already there!

**Now that I'm done, I don't really like how it came out. Tell me if I should re-write it, k? Reviews are always appreciated ( it also makes me update sooner if you haven't noticed) Anyway, until next time,**

**Carrotgirl5**


	9. Power

**So here's the thing, I finished this chapter almost four months ago and proceeded to click the little button to update the story. After receiving not a single review, I became a little miffed and decided I wouldn't update again until I got at least one. Just now, I checked on my story to realise I had never actually posted it…. Ya, I feel dumb now. Anyways, I'm really sorry, but now you know what happens when you don't review.**

_Power_

_Chaos ensued. As the alarm bells started to toll out their ominous message, villagers all over Konoha rushed in frenzy to the safety of the caves. All planning and semblance of order had been thrown to the wind. People packed necessities frantically while others rushed madly to shelter, all belongings left abandoned in their now deserted homes. The genin left in charge tried desperately to calm the people, but their constant running about only agitated the citizens to a higher degree. As people pushed, shoved and all but walked over each other to get to their destination, it was no small wonder things got lost in the confusion. The now deserted streets told the story of the hurried exodus. A bent and battered suitcase lay half trampled in the street. Several sandals that had fallen off their owner's feet littered the walkways. A worn and well loved teddy bear sat unmoving, propped against a wall, far from the comfort of its mistress. It didn't go unnoticed by Ino, surveying the chaos from the rooftops. Leaping down lightly, she gently picked up the discarded toy and wiped the dirt off its shiny plastic nose. Looking around at the mess that had once been a clean, well maintained, busy street, she tucked the bear into her satchel as Audrey caught up with her. The brunette didn't miss the gesture. _

_ "Little comforts make all the difference in the world in times like these," the blonde mused as she stared with a far off look down the street towards the caves. "Someone's probably missing you" she continued and Audrey wasn't sure if the words were directed at her or the bear. Who was missing her right now, she wondered. Summon and Yuki definitely. Would anyone else? Her two team mates had been her only close friends. What about Jonno-sensei and Brionny? Did they notice her absence? Neither of them had ever shown any real emotion towards her. They both valued the end result over the means. Had her leaving really made that much of a difference for them?_

_A sudden crash, followed by screams and yells snapped both the girls from their pensive states. Immediately, Ino was in battle mode. "We have to go," she said in the most serious tone Audrey had ever heard her use. "People are going to need medical treatment." The implication of her words hung heavily in the air. As she started off towards the sound of the battle, she realized Audrey was still standing, frozen in place in the street, with a look of horror on her face. She looked ready to bolt, where Ino didn't know. Her eyes flickered restlessly from place to place as if searching for a way to escape the horrible reality she was trapped in. Thinking fast, Ino threw the teddy bear at her friends face. Audrey caught it automatically, but stared at it with confusion, as if it were the first time she had seen it. _

_From across the street, Ino yelled "find the owner. Get it back to where it belongs!" and she ran off to her previous destination before she was stopped once again by Audrey. _

"_Ino," she yelled. The blonde turned and for a tense moment the two girls simply looked at each other, as if gauging their own emotions and loyalties. "I'll get it back….I promise" Audrey finally swore. After a nod from Ino, she sprang onto the roof tops in the direction of the caves. "I promise" she said again under her breath. But she had no idea how far that promise would take her._

Yuki flattened herself against the rough bark of the tree and held her ragged breath the best she could. Her lungs screamed for air, but she knew the moment she took a gasping breath, her hiding spot would be discovered. She didn't know which side the ninja prowling around her belonged to, but then again it didn't really matter. At this point, running into either side would be equally bad. Clutching her injured side she struggled in silence the best she could.

She didn't have any real plan. She didn't know where Audrey might be. She didn't know if she was being kept prisoner. She didn't even know if she was alive. She didn't know how to get into Konoha in her condition without being seen. She didn't know how she would get out if she even got in. she didn't know if Audrey even wanted to be rescued. All she knew was that Audrey had the answers she needed, and she had to do whatever it took to get them.

The ninja were getting closer. She could tell now that they were from her side. Mercenaries. She didn't recognize any of them. She listened carfully to their voices, trying to discern if one of them was the mercenary from the hospital. How she wished she had opened her eyes. Whoever knew that Audrey had gone probably had some answers as well. Either way, all the voices she heard were male. Her lungs demanded oxygen, and she felt on the verge of passing out, so she verry carefully took in a small gasp of air.

She made next to no noise, but it was enough. The nearest merc rounded on her, and she knew she was done for.

Less than 10 meters away, Kiba lay, also hidden watching his prey. Akkamaru crouched beside him, ready to spring. Their odds weren't good. There were 5 mercenaries against the two of them. He would need some sort of distraction to have any chance at winning. Grugingly, he wished Shikamaru was with him. With the strategy master, taking down even ten opponenets would be a breeze. Strategy for him however, had never been a strength. He didn't have the patience for all those complicated schemes. He would much rather charge head on. Sighing mentally, he watched the black clad mercs for an opening.

As he watched, he noticed something the mercs hadn't yet. There was…something hidden among the bushes across the clearing from him. Whatever it was made no sound or movement, but he could smell it. He could smell the fear. It wasn't mindless fear, as some animal might have, but strong and calculated. That left only one option. Whatever was in those bushes was highly intelligent, probably human. It also told him something else. These mercenaries were second class at best. For all of them to miss something so huge showed that none of them were extremely powerful. His chances might not be so bad after all.

Suddenly, the bushes moved ever so slightly. Had he not already known there was someone there, he probably would have missed it entirely, it was that subtle. By some lucky chance, however one of the mercs noticed it as well and called softly to his companions. As he pointed to the bushes, all five mercs advanced, turning their backs to where Kiba lay hidden alongside Akkemaru. This was their chance!

Kiba had come a long way from his early days as a ninja. He charged silently, and the mercs didn't even notice the threat he posed until the first one fell. Second class though they were, they were still highly trained. Barely sparing a glance for their fallen comrade, they immediately fell into a battle position. In such a cramped space, his bullet attack with Akkemaru would be almost completely ineffective. He'd have to do this the hard way. Putting his back against a nearby tree, he pulled out a kunai and a longer knife from his boot. He signaled to Akkemaru, still hidden among the trees to circle around to the other side and catch their unprotected backs. He briefly wondered if the person in the bushes would help him before the remaining 4 mercenaries came at him and he had no more time to consider it.

Now that his opponents had drawn their weapons, Kiba had a clearer idea of what he was up against. Few mercs had any real chakra power, and it appeared his opponents were no exceptions. They all seemed to be weapons masters, but that didn't make them any less deadly. Two had drawn generic double edged swords. They hefted them with skill, but seemed to lack the experience other other two radiated. Staying behind the two swordsmen, they scrutinized kiba cautiously. Their weapons were custom made, and they looked as though they could wield them well. One carried a strange whip with a barbed end and a dagger built into the reverse side of the handle while the other bore a spiked hammer. The whip seemed the more formidable of the two due to its dual range: the whip far outreached Kiba's long knife while the dagger still allowed for close combat. If Akkemaru could take out one of them from the back, that was the one to kill.

The two swordsmen charged first. Synchronizing their attacks, one came from above with a sweeping slash downwards which momentarily distracted Kiba from the other's stab at his gut. Catching the first blow on his Kunai, he twisted to the side to avoid the jab, but still felt the searing pain as it sliced through his side. Pushing the pain away, he kicked out wildly and managed to plant his foot in one of the merc's guts. As the man staggered to his feet the dog master thrust upwards with his knife, stabbing the second merc in the upper arm. He had just enough time to reposition himself against the tree before the two were up and at him again. They rushed him, but this time he was ready. A mere second before they struck, Akkemaru burst from the tree line and fell upon the merc with the whip. It proved just enough of a distraction for Kiba. Sidestepping the first strike, he slashed the first man in the throat and then continued the sideways swing to embed the kunai in the other's back. Releasing the kunai, both men fell to the ground as he pulled another from his pouch and turned to help his dog partner.

Akkemaru hadn't fared as well as he had. The dog had been slashed across the back and was limping from a stab wound in his paw. The man with the whip wasn't much better though. Akkemaru had obviously landed a few blows of his own. The merc's back was raked with six parallel claw marks, probably from the dog's original attack. Had it just been a one on one battle, Akkemaru would've probably already won, but the hammer man gave a clear advantage to the mercs.

Kiba rushed in and jumped forcefully on the whip wielding merc's injured back. As the man screamed in pain, kiba had to struggle to stay on. He jerked back just in time to avoid a wild blow of the man's elbow which knocked his blades to the ground. Wrapping his legs around the merc's torso, Kiba went for a strangle hold. With one arm under his enemy's chin, he put his other arm around the man's head. Grabbing his elbow with his opposite hand, he tightened his grip and squeezed. Now the merc's attempts to get him of his back became even wilder and more desperate. Kiba soon found that he had to hold onto the man's neck, not only to take him down, but to hang on as well. Finally, the jerks slowed to a halt and the merc collapsed to the ground.

After checking for a pulse, and finding the heart still doggedly beating, Kiba looked once more to Akkemaru. His opponent was in much worse condition. The hammer merc was barely breathing and his wounds were so severe even Ino could never have healed them. The man's eyes were still none the less open and they met Kiba's with tired reassignment. His dying lungs failed him as he tried to speak, but eventually he managed to push out one word.

"Please…" Kiba understood his meaning immediately. Fetching the now broken hammer, he put it in the merc's hand over his chest. Leaning in close, he pulled his last knife from his belt and delivered a mercy stroke across the throat. The unnamed merc died instantly with a last sight. Beside him, Akkemaru collapsed from blood loss and exhaustion while Kiba clutched his injured ribs in pain.

All the while, Yuki watched from the bushes.

Yuki, had watched the battle with cautious, fearful interest. She debated making her escape while both sides were…occupied, but reasoned that revealing herself now would be nothing but a dead give away and she'd never get far in any case. She knew the best she could hope for should be for both sides to kill each other, but even so, she found herself hoping the young Konoha ninja would win.

He moved with such fluidity and grace even after being injured and eh treated his enemies with honest respect from one skilled warrior to another. It was the beast like dog that worried her. The animal could probably smell her, but at the moment it was collapsed beside its master, breathing shallowly. Did the young man really inspire such loyalty in the huge dog that it would be willing to die to protect its master? Either way, with the dog temporarily out of the picture, maybe the Konoha nin wouldn't notice her. Would it be best to stay hidden or run for it while both dog and man were tired and wounded?

Yuki was still pondering her choices when she saw it. One merc was not dead! The man who had been strangled was moving. Slowly and silently he reached his weapon. Pulling himself onto shaky feet, he advanced stealthily upon the enemy ninja, still crouched, oblivious to the danger

Yuki found herself more alarmed than she thought she should be. If the mercenary killed the dog and its master, the chances that she would be discovered should decrease dramatically. She would be free…and yet she couldn't help but rack her brain for a way to save them both.

Neither of them were in any condition to protect themselves. The dog was dead or dying while the ninja appeared to be fading in and out of consciousness. Even if she warned them, their chances weren't good. But she wasn't in much better condition to save them either. She could barely lift her wind scythes and she had left all her other weapons behind. She had Audrey's bow, but it needed to be strung by one of her friend's chakra strings. Without Audrey, it was next to useless. There was nothing she could do. Except…

She had never intentionally used her hated power. Would it even come if she called it? The merc was closer now. Raising the dagger above his head, he prepared for a killing blow. There was no time! As the blade began to fall, Yuki stood with a yell. Both the ninja and mercenary snapped their eyes up to her. Trembling, Yuki looked at the merc.

Time slowed. Immediately, Yuki felt the surge of killing power build up inside her, but it was different this time. Usually, it was like a storm in her soul. Her anger cracked like lightening and her sadness fell like rain. The wind of her fear would buffet and blow her about until she barely knew who or what she was. And there was pain, like someone was ripping her apart from the inside and then sewing her back together wrong. But this time was different.

This time there was no storm. Instead, it was like a cool gust of wind off the sea. A great roll of power that started deep in her chest ran through her entire body, but it wasn't tearing her apart. She was falling, but not fast, or hard. It was more like floating, she decided. She watched from a bird's eye view as her body fell away, revealing her worn and weary soul. The wave of power swept over it, caressing it gently, until it began to feel like a real soul again. For the first time in forever, Yuki felt whole. The world reappeared in front of her, and everything was clear. Directing the wave to her eyes, she really saw the mercenary for the first time. She saw his neatly patched clothing, worn but still durable. She saw his blooding dagger and the blood crusted under his fingernails. She saw his many wounds and how he forced himself to ignore them. She saw his faults and his triumphs. She saw his very soul… and she saw his eyes.

They were a shade of blue grey, like the sky before a rainstorm, like the waves of a clear rock pond… like Audrey's. Suddenly, Yuki felt the familiar falling feeling as her power took over. The gentle waves turned into crashing tsunamis as it wrenched her apart again. Her eyes widened as the power demanded release, and she could do nothing to stop the flood. Yuki was once again helpless and alone. Her vision went red and she found she could no longer see the scene in front of her. A faint silhouette showed the merc falling to the ground which quickly rose up to meet her as She fell once again into oblivion.

Kiba didn't know what had happened, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the girl who now lay unconscious at his feet. Cursing himself for being so careless that an enemy could sneak up on him like that, he felt for her pulse. It was a bit faster than his own, but she seemed in no immediate danger. Akkemaru had roused himself and after Kiba had treated him to the best of abilities, the dog ran off to find Ino.

Only then did Kiba turn to the merc. The man's eyes were wide open and unseeing, with an expression of pure horror plastered across his face. Kiba could feel neither pulse nor breath. Dead. Dead as if he had been stabbed through the heart. But how? The wounds Akkemaru had given him weren't enough to kill him and Kiba had strangled him to unconsciousness, not to death. That left the girl.

Lying on the ground unconscious, she looked so innocent, so helpless. Her blonde hair was falling out of the messy bun and the stray wisps framed her delicate face. Her features were pulled into a grimace of pain: her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes clenched shut and her lips slightly parted in pain. Beside her in the bushes lay two strange metal boomerangs and what seemed to be an unstrung bow. That was all. There was no way she could have used any of the large weapons without him seeing.

How then? Had she used a jutsu? But she had never said an incantation, the only noise she'd ever made was a strangled shout as she stood. Was she so powerful that she didn't need and incantation or hand signs? But if she was that powerful why would she be hiding in the bushes?

Curious, Kiba rolled her onto her back, perhaps she had other, smaller weapons on her. His hand came away bloody. For the first time, he took stock of her injuries. Her side was bleeding profusely and trickles of blood ran from the side of her mouth. Puling back her eyelid to check her pupils, he started with shock. Her iris was a splotchy red, as if her pupils themselves were bleeding. Who…what was she?

As her breathing became more labored, he ripped the sleeve of his shirt into bandages and pressed them to her side. Connecting mentally with Akkemaru he urged the dog to hurry. Whoever she was, the girl would not last long.

The cold, dark and damp of the caves did little to calm the frenzied people of Konoha. It didn't help any that the clashes of battle could be heard across the city, even to the caves. In the confusion of the terror, one small girl managed to escape her mother's grasp and scamper out one of the smaller exits to the caves. Trotting as fast as she could along the deserted path to her house, she searched desperately for that which she had lost. Finding no success, she wandered back around the city and finally slipped out a side gate into the woods beyond searching for her lost teddy bear.

When Audrey arrived at the caves twenty minutes later, all she found was and inconsolable mother assuring her that the bear belonged to her now missing daughter Shinna. Mumbling a few words of comfort, she left the weeping woman to the genin and rushed back out to the city. Tracking the girl's footsteps, she laughed mirthlessly at the irony as they passed the place Ino had found the bear in question. If she and Ino had just let it be, Shinna would already be skipping back to her mother, toy in hand. Instead, the girl was almost half an hour ahead of her and could be nearly anywhere by now.

Resisting her urge to search frantically for the girl from the rooftops, Audrey forced herself to continue the laborious process of tracking the trail the girl had left. Rushing would get her nowhere as tracking had never been her strongest suit. Growling in frustration as the tracks mixed with others, she meticulously examined each print until she found the ones she was looking for. Smiling with satisfaction, and no small bit of pride, she resumed her chase, but her happiness was short lived as she saw where the footprints led.

Stopping at one of the smaller, hidden gates, Audrey pushed the carefully concealed door open, and despaired as she saw the trail continue into the forest ahead of her. Cursing at whatever god had caused this mess, she increased her pace as she followed the muddy trail.

Further on, someone else had noticed the trail as well. A smile that could only be described as villainous spread across the face of the waterfall ninja as he fell upon his prey like a hawk on a rabbit. His name was, after all, Hunter.


	10. Keeping a Promise

**So as an apology for the little mistake I made which resulted in that obscurely long wait, I decided to update again asap. That being said, this chapter was a bit rushed, but I think it came out fine all the same. I doubt anyone really reads these little author's notes (I admit I skip over them) but if you do, I'd appreciate some help with ideas. I'm running low on plot twists for the upcoming chapters, so if you have an idea, I'd really appreciate hearing it. Anyways, reviews are always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

_Keeping a Promise_

_Shina wandered through the woods helplessly lost. She had no idea where, or in which direction she was going. A few minutes after having left the safety of the city walls she had tried to return, only to find she had no idea which way she had come from. All the trees looked the same to the small girl who had never once been in the forest alone. Lost, terrified and close to tears she wandered helter skelter in an attempt to find her way back._

_ That was how Hunter found her, and the innocent toddler fell easily into the predator's trap._

_ "Are you lost?" Hunter inquired, switching his cruel smirk for a kindly smile and a cool older brother voice. Shina didn't even reply, she just ran and hugged the stranger's leg with a vice like grip as her tears trickled down her cheeks like a rainstorm. Still smiling, Hunter detangled himself and hugged the girl comfortingly. _

_ "You're from Konoha, aren't you?" he kept his voice casual, as if the answer made no difference to him and all it was was small talk. Inside however, he was bubbling with excitement. Perhaps there was another way into the city! There was little chance that someone like her had just wandered out the heavily guarded front gates. The Leaf ninja had been uncannily prepared for the invasion as if they had known all along it was coming. A secret entrance could give the Waterfall people a new advantage, perhaps winning them the war. Hunter was so lost in his dreams of conquest and glory that he almost missed Shina's small "uhuh" which confirmed her worth as a hostage. _

_ "How did you get all the way out her then?" he tactfully put the girls head over his shoulder in a comforting way and let his sinister smile resurface with uncontrolled glee._

"_I came through the door and got lost."_

"_Which door?"_

"_The door in the wall" had Shina seen her 'rescuer's' face at that moment, she probably would have run in fear. The waterfall ninja had very little patience once his prey was in sight and the youngster's clueless answers were wearing down what little he had left._

"_Where is the door?" This time, the sweetness in his voice was a little forced, and had Shina been more alert, her childish instincts would have sent up red flags everywhere. As it was, her little adventure had left her both frightened and exhausted. Now feeling safe in the smiling man's arms, she allowed the exhaustion to overtake her. Just barley mumbling "At the edge of the forest." She succumbed to a deep contented slumber, having completely forgotten her missing teddy bear. _

_Hunter momentarily debated waking the girl up to demand a clear answer when an approaching presence made his decision for him. It wouldn't do for the little girl to see him in battle. He smirked once again before laying the slumbering girl in a safe spot high in a tree. Making sure she wouldn't fall out if she moved in her sleep (it wouldn't do for her to die…yet) he injected her with a vial of dreambay to keep her unconscious. Leaping back down to the ground, he prepared with sick joy to meet her rescuer. This would be fun!_

_When Audrey arrived in the small clearing, she was greeted by a terribly familiar face._

"_Well well well," Hunter exclaimed, his smile growing even larger, "Audrey, what a pleasant surprise!" Audrey in question fought down her growing sense of fear and horror and faced her one time friend._

"_Hello Hunter."_

Hunter's sinister grin was so broad now that it seemed to cover the whole of his face. Things had gone from good, with the discovery of the Konoha girl, to great, with the knowledge of a secret door in the city's walls, to positively perfect.

"Audrey, Audrey, Audrey," he clucked patronizingly, like a mother scolding her child, "you've caused quite a stir you know," he was circling her now, but Audrey didn't bother to follow his movements. She knew Hunter. He wouldn't attack just yet. The man was like a cat: he would play with his food before he ate it. If she could keep her cool against his mental games, she might just have a chance at beating him. Then again without her bow… "The takikage and I have been sick with worry you know," Hunter continued, "you should really tell us before you leave like that." His smirk was gone, replaced by a mask of motherly worry. That was the most dangerous part of Hunter's little game. He could make you believe he was your best friend….

"I see you've let your father corrupt you completely," Audrey fought to resist the growing sense of ease she felt around him. He must have already used his jutsu. This was bad. "Has he promoted you to chief bitch yet?" she poured as much venom as she could into her weak defense, desperately trying to remember that she hated him. Hunter only laughed good naturedly.

"When I bring you and that girl into camp for tea, he very well might." Only a small part of Audrey's mind registered the threat.

"Who's the other girl?" a faint memory tried to surface, but the suffocating calm surrounding her pushed it to the back of her mind.

"My little friend," Hunter pointed to the girl secured in the tree top breathing gently, the only indicator that she was still alive. She looked so peaceful, so content with a small smile pulling at her sleeping mouth. She was hugging a small branch tenderly, as if by habit. Audrey couldn't imagine it was very comfortable. The bark looked rough and hard. Her hand found its way unconsciously to her pack. There was something in there, something soft.

Despite the silent reassurance of Hunter's jutsu that every thing was fine and whatever it was she was holding wasn't important, she pulled the thing out of her bag anyway. It was a teddy bear. With a snap of realization, the jutsu broke.

"It's a good thing I came across her, you never know what horrible predators one might find in the woods." Hunter hadn't noticed yet.

"Yeah," Audrey kept her tone light and dead, as if she was still under the influence of his jutsu, "and you're the worst of them all, aren't you Hunter?" before he could register the meaning of her words, Audrey launched a kunai straight at his heart, and only by instinctive reflexes did he manage to dodge.

Rising from his defensive crouch, Hunter merely smirked, dropping his jutsu. "You flatter me," he chuckled darkly as he drew his own black kunai, "I'd much rather be a predator like me than a traitor like you!" For a moment Audrey froze at the accusation, but drawing her purpose around her like a shield, she directed her chakra to the string she held in her fingers, ready for battle.

"And I'd much rather be a traitor like me than a sadistic kiss-ass like you!" As usual, her insults didn't seem to bother Hunter. If anything they gave him even more sick joy.

"Well then," he fell into a predatorial crouch, "I guess the fun starts now." And the battle began.

Yuki awoke to an unfamiliar face filling up the whole of her line of vision. Acting on instinct, she struck out at the stranger and rolled into a defensive crouch.

"See," Yuki could see now that her 'attacker' was a pretty blonde, judging by the array of herbs scattered about her and the green glow fading from her hands, a healer as well. "I told you it was just exhaustion!" The blonde continued "though the stomach wound was pretty serious." Still not dropping her guard, Yuki tentatively touched her side. It still hurt, but not the constant shooting pain it usually produced.

"Who are you?" she asked, peering suspiciously at the girl. She wore a Konoha headband which made sense. The Waterfall Village had precious few healers as they were considered weak and nothing but an extra burden. Despite that, Audrey had tried to become one in order to better help her team. Despite her efforts, and probably for the best, she didn't have the necessary knack for it.

"I think that's a better question for you!" a new voice broke in. It was the man from the battle, Yuki realized with a start. Looking at him, she noticed that his wounds had not yet been healed, and blood was dripping from a gash at his ribs to the ground. There, beside the growing puddle of blood lay the whip wielding mercenary…dead.

Taking a few deep breaths, Yuki tried to calm herself as she remembered the recent events. That power surge…it had been so…different, and yet a man still lay dead before her.

"So," the man stepped over the body towards her, "who are you?" he stopped a few feet away from her, a distance, Yuki noted, far enough away from her to be safe. She was after all a threat.

"What am I?" she corrected, standing to meet his gaze. "That's what you really want to know isn't it?" his eyes widened for a split second and she knew she'd hit the mark. "Unfortunately though," she continued, dropping her eyes to the dead merc, "I'm looking for that answer too." Flicking her eyes back to his shocked face, she met his stare with more courage than she actually felt. The man stepped towards her, almost threateningly so she in turn stepped back, only to find herself backed dup against a tree.

"You killed a man with a single look" Instead of the usual fear and horror that usually laced peoples voices as they addressed her after seeing her power, his held more bewilderment than anything else. he seemed like he was going to say more, but he merely looked deep into her eyes, as if expecting to find the answers there.

"If you know that, then why aren't you afraid to meet my gaze?" Her voice cracked a bit from the sudden tension and she found she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. It was so strange. Once people learned of her curse they rarely made eye contact. Even Summon and Audrey avoided it at times. Why didn't he?

If you wanted me dead you wouldn't have bothered to kill that guy." He shrugged and jerked his head towards the man she had killed to protect him. Stepping back again, he turned to the blonde who was kneeling by the dog, presumably treating him. "Will he be okay Ino" he asked, worry evident in his voice.

"You insult me," the blonde, Ino, replied saucily. "If I can't heal scratches like these I'd be a pretty pathetic healer now wouldn't I?'

"Good." His entire body seemed to sigh with relief as he half fell into a seated position by the dog. Yuki didn't move from her place by the tree. What should she do now? Was she their prisoner? Could she just leave? They both seemed to have forgotten she was even there. Seeing a glint of metal from the bushes, she carefully retrieved her wind scythes and Audrey's bow from where she had left them, casting a cautions glance at the Konoha ninja in case they took it as a threat. Both were still wholly concentrated on the dog.

Strapping her own weapons comfortably onto her back, she reached for her friend's weapon and almost shouted with alarm. The bow was strung!

The wood bent gracefully until it tapered to sharp metal blades at each end. At both points where metal met wood, one end of a taunt chakra string was attached, bending the bow into its proper form. Somewhere, Audrey was fighting!

In fact, Audrey was fighting for her life. Hunter was a great deal better than she remembered, perhaps due to the takikage's twisted training he'd been doing ever since he became the village leader's apprentice. No matter the reason, Audrey was in trouble, and both she and Hunter knew it. Hunter was a close combat fighter which made it difficult to ensnare him with her chakra threads. She barely had enough time to dodge his attacks, let alone mount a counter attack. Without her bow, and her kunai gone, she had little chance of defeating him in close quarters. Still, she knew she had to do something. Fast. Hunter was bigger and stronger than her and already she was tiring.  
Sidestepping a gut jab, she caught her foot on a root and went down. Rolling blindly to the side with her hands shielding her head, she felt the 'whoosh' of a falling blade where she had fallen. Still rolling, she avoided the second strike she knew was coming. Blindly catching her footing, she stood and swerved to the side in case he threw anything else at her. Nothing. Hunter was gone. Not gone gone. She could still sense his presence among the trees, but she couldn't pinpoint the location.

"Why didn't you finish me? Hasn't daddy taught you to kill yet?" Audrey scanned the surrounding forest, looking for a clue as to where her enemy was hidden.

"Two reasons." His voice seemed to come from every direction. "One: I have no intention of killing you. You're to be brought back alive. The Takikage has been most…anxious to see you again." the sinister voice was pouring out of every tree and rock. Was it coming from the ground too? Or was that the sky? Suddenly, Audrey realized she could no longer tell up from down. Everything was spinning around her in a blur. "Second:" His voice was so loud now she had to cover her ears as hundreds of Hunters advanced from every direction. "As far as I'm concerned, you are finished Audrey." He stopped and stood overtop of he, grinning madly. She hadn't even realized she had fallen to the ground. "You should be more careful," he continued, wiping his black blade and showing her the poison residue left on the cloth, "There are all kinds of dangerous poisons one might come across in the woods."

Audrey tried to come up with a shaky retort, but found that her tongue was leaden, and all that came out was a pathetic gurgle. It didn't matter anyway though, because her brain seemed foggy, and that beautiful calming sensation was coming over her again. As her eyesight began to fail, all she could see was Hunter's vicious grin getting larger and larger.

The green glow faded from Ino's hands as she finished healing Akkemaru. After being rubbed thoroughly between the ears by Kiba, the big dog shook himself to his feet. The dog, ever suspicious of potential threats to his master growled deeply as he eyed the strange girl warily. Kiba followed his dog's gaze to where Yuki was crouched motionless with her back to the Konoha ninja. Putting a calming hand on Akkemaru's back, he approached her once again.

"You alright?" Ino, sensing something was amiss, stood and joined them.

"Your dog," the girl didn't turn, but her tone was different than before, almost monotonous, and without emotion… no, that wasn't it. It was filled with emotion, but which one Kiba couldn't tell. Fear? Anger? Hatred maybe? "He can track a scent, right?" She turned slowly, a bow in her hands and a strange look in her eyes. "If I gave him a scent, he could track it, right?" She was standing almost menacingly now, but then why did she still smell of fear?

Pulling Ino behind him protectively, Kiba answered slowly. "Of course, as long as the scent is strong enough." Suddenly, he found the blade of one of the girl's strange weapons pressed against his throat.

"I need to find the owner of this bow." A ribbon of pain danced across Kiba's neck as the blade pressed harder, "Now." Holding Ino still behind him and motioning to Akkemaru to comply with the girl's wishes, Kiba found himself once again searching her eyes for answers. He realized with a shock that they were no longer red, but green. Had he only tricked himself into seeing them as that strange color? Still, as he looked deeper, he saw a faint red light in her pupils, pulsing as if it had a light of its own. His inspection stopped as Akkemaru's thoughts flooded his mind. The bow, it was Audrey's!

At lightning speed, he whipped out a kunai and struck the boomerang thing to the ground. "What do you want with Audrey?" he demanded, advancing on her before she could pull out her second weapon, "Were you sent to kill her?"

"I'm trying to save her!" Once again, the two of them found themselves face to face.

"She's perfectly safe where she is," Ino cut in, trying to calm the situation, "She went to the caves with the rest of the citizens.

"Well unless one of them is trying to kill her, she's not there anymore!" the girl shot back without taking her eyes from Kiba.

"What do you mean?" Something told Kiba this stranger knew more than she let on.

"I mean she's fighting someone!" at a skeptical look from Kiba, she continued impatiently. "Look at this bow," she said as she held it up between them, "see how it's been strung with chakra? Audrey does that every time she fights, weather she has the bow with her or not." She was breathing heavily now, weather from her newly healed wounds, anger or worry, Kiba didn't know. "Please," she almost whispered, for the first time looking as vulnerable as she felt. "I can't let her die." There was no lie in her deep green eyes, only looming tears.

Turning, Kiba made a snap decision. He would help her. No, he would help Audrey. He didn't quite trust this new girl yet. There was something…off about her. Either way, he believed her when she said Audrey was in danger. Her worry was genuine. Collecting his knives from the ground, he took control of the situation.

"Ino, see if you can find Shikamaru. We'll get Audrey." The blonde nodded once, collected her satchel and was off, shooting one last cautionary look at her friend. Taking his seat on Akkemaru's back, he gestured to the remaining blonde to get on behind him. "We'll save her, girl, I promise."

"My name's not girl, she responded as she grabbed his waist as Akkemaru started to run, "its Yuki."

**Wow, I just realized I've only mentioned Shikamaru once in the last two chapters… oops. Oh well, you'll get lots of him in the next one so don't fear. I haven't forgotten him yet. If you have any comments, even critical ones, please click the review button. **** See you next chapter!**


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